Dr. Ágnes Németh Highlights CASPER’s Rural Impact
Dr. Ágnes Németh Illuminates CASPER’s Role in Revitalizing Rural Europe
Białystok, Poland – At the heart of the CASPER Open Seminar held on May 13, 2025, in Białystok, stood a compelling presentation by Dr. Ágnes Németh from the University of Eastern Finland. Her talk delivered a concise yet powerful overview of how the CASPER Project is reshaping regional development across Europe’s shrinking rural areas by promoting inclusive, place-based policymaking.
As one of the lead researchers and project voices, Dr. Németh outlined how CASPER (Citizen Activation in Shrinking rural areas for Place-based policies to Enhance Resilience) operates as a catalyst for citizen-driven innovation. She highlighted the project’s mission to reverse the decline of rural communities by empowering local populations to co-create public services tailored to their needs.
Reframing Rural Challenges into Policy Opportunities
In her presentation, Dr. Németh emphasized that traditional top-down approaches have often failed to address the unique challenges faced by rural and remote regions. CASPER, by contrast, emphasizes bottom-up strategies rooted in the lived experiences of residents. “Rural resilience is not just about infrastructure, but about identity, participation, and voice,” she noted.
She presented concrete case studies from project partners across Europe, demonstrating how inclusive governance, third places, and grassroots participation are making tangible impacts. Notably, she underscored how CASPER integrates qualitative local insights into broader policy frameworks, ensuring that even the smallest communities are not left behind in national or EU-level strategies.
From Research to Policy Action
Dr. Németh also reflected on the CASPER Project’s contributions to the recent Interreg Europe Policy Brief on citizen engagement, positioning CASPER as a thought leader in participatory governance. Her presentation resonated with fellow panelists and sparked engaging discussions during the Q&A session.
Closing her talk, she emphasized the importance of mutual learning among regions and reaffirmed CASPER’s commitment to nurturing long-term partnerships that enhance social cohesion and democratic resilience.
Why This Matters
In an era where rural depopulation and civic disengagement are on the rise, Dr. Németh’s insights offered both urgency and hope. Her ability to connect empirical findings with actionable policy pathways showcased the academic strength behind CASPER and reinforced its relevance for policymakers across Europe.
As the day continued with local success stories and forward-looking strategies, Dr. Németh’s session anchored the seminar’s core message: empowering citizens is not just an ideal—it’s a necessity for building sustainable, inclusive rural futures.