December 4 Wiebke Wellbrock succesfully defended her thesis (can be viewed at wurtv.wur.nl):

Well-working operational interfaces: A key to more collaborative modes of governance

This thesis comprises five chapters that are independent scientific publications. In the first chapter, I show how the ‘learning region concept’ and ‘triple helix thesis’ can be reframed to address support for collaboration in rural areas. In the second chapter, I reflect on the experiences of using the conceptual lens as a research tool for studying the operational features of arrangements supporting joint learning and innovation in the case study area of Westerkwartier, the Netherlands. In the third and fourth chapters, I deal with the question of how to best arrange support for collaboration by comparing the operational features of arrangements across the German and European case study areas. This thesis concludes with a discussion of the lessons learnt concerning: 1) wellworking operational features of arrangements supporting collaborative modes of governance, 2) the development and refinement of the conceptual lens, based on experiences of using it as a heuristic research tool, and 3) the potential of the refined framework to effectuate more collaborative modes of governance.

Three chapters are published, the fourth will be soon:

• Chapter 2: Wellbrock, W., Roep, D., Wiskerke, J.S.C., 2012. An integrated perspective on rural regional learning.  European Countryside 4 (1), 1-16. DOI: 10.2478/v10091-012-0010-y
• Chapter 3: Wellbrock W. Roep, D. (accepted)  The Learning Rural Area Framework: A Heuristic Tool to Investigate Institutional arrangements Supporting Collaboration in Rural Areas. Sociologia Ruralis
• Chapter 4: Wellbrock, W., Nienaber, B., Kriszan, M., Nadler, R., Roep, D., Frys, W., 2013. Arranging support of collective learning and innovation in German rural regions, in: C. Tamasy, J. Revilla Diez (Eds.), Regional Resilience, Economy and Society. Ashgate, Surrey.
• Chapter 5: Wellbrock, W., Roep, D., Mahon, M., Kairyte, E., Nienaber, B., Dominguez Garcia, L., Kriszan, M., Farrell, M., 2013. Arranging public support to unfold collaborative modes of governance in rural areas.  Journal of Rural Studies. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2013.10.002

Another publication based on the thesis research is in press:

• Roep, D., Wellbrock, W., Horlings, I., 2014. Raising self-efficacy and resilience: collaborative leadership in the Westerkwartier, in: M. Woods, B. Nienaber, J. McDonagh (Eds.), Globalization  and Europe’s rural regions. Ashgate, Surrey.