Scotland: National Rural Network
Connecting Rural Scotland - Promoting Rural Growth

In a time of economic inactivity, dramatic reductions in public spending, and rising levels of unemployment and poverty, the focus of all our regeneration efforts should be on practical, pro-active and cooperative responses to the very real threat of substantial degeneration across the board.

This key Scottish regeneration event will look squarely at the challenges ahead; but its concentrated and constructive focus will be on linking people, projects and practice across the SURF network to examine the real opportunities for supporting more sustainable community regeneration in this time of change.

In cooperation with the Public Policy Network of the University of Edinburgh, the first day of the conference will link Scotland's extensive regeneration oriented academic resources with the practical challenges at hand for practitioners and policy-makers.

The second day will focus on cooperation in policy and practice. Key speakers, debates, presentations and panel sessions will link the policy process to the realities of delivering positive change in Scotland's most disadvantaged communities. In doing so, we will showcase the assets and resources that are at hand to support and sustain regeneration, despite the increasingly difficult economic climate and related challenges.

Key speakers confirmed so far include:

•  Alex Neil MSP, Scottish Government Minister for Housing & Communities
• Prof. Duncan MacLennan, International expert on housing & regeneration (University of St. Andrews)
• Prof. Greg Lloyd, Professor of Urban Planning, University of Belfast
• Jim McFarlane, Managing Director of Operations, Scottish Enterprise
• Dominic Munro, Head of Communities Analytical Services, Scottish Government

A full programme and details of how to book are available on the SURF website (see link below):

 http://www.scotregen.co.uk/events/default.asp?ItemID=1099