Border Studies

The study of borders and border regions has gained great momentum during the last 20 years. In the context of borders, political, social, economic, environmental, legal and cultural aspects can be investigated. Borders (e.g. state boundaries) are discussed as an expression of social, political or economic processes and not just as a geopolitical phenomenon.

The key area of "Border Studies" was selected by the presidents and vice chancellors of the UniGR partner universities because it represents a distinctive feature of the Greater Region: The separation by national and regional boundaries is still strictly implemented in some areas of the Region, such as in legislation or local government. In the professional, social or cultural life of the inhabitants of the Greater Region, the crossing of borders is, however, hardly an issue; it has become commonplace for many people.

 
This has been recognized by many researchers at the UniGR partner universities from the departments of law and economics, linguistics, history, geography, regional planning, and Cultural Studies as a topical and important issue.

In order to allow for improved coordination of the many disciplines and scientists involved, the key area of Border Studies has been subdivided into three sub-groups, which are open to other participants:· 

  • Regional planning
  • Law
  • Cultural and linguistic studies, history

 

Border Studies

The study of borders and border areas has experienced an enormous upswing in the last 20 years. Political, social, economic, ecological, legal and cultural aspects can be examined in the context of borders. Borders are addressed as an expression of social, political or economic processes and no longer just as geopolitical phenomena (e.g. national borders).

The Border Studies lighthouse area was also selected by the presidents and rectors of the UniGR partner universities because it represents a special feature of the Greater Region: The separation by national and regional borders is still strictly enforced in the region in some areas, such as in legislation or municipal administration. In the professional, social or cultural life of the inhabitants of the Greater Region, however, the crossing of borders hardly plays a role anymore; for many people it has become part of everyday life.

Numerous researchers from the fields of law and economics, linguistics, history, geography, spatial and regional planning and cultural studies at the UniGR partner universities have also recognized this as a current and important topic. 

In order to better coordinate the many disciplines and researchers involved, three subgroups were formed within the Border Studies lighthouse area, which are open to further participants:- 

  • Spatial and regional planning
  • law
  • Cultural studies and linguistics, history

UniGR-Center for Border Studies

The UniGR-Center for Border Studies emerged from the key area of Border Studies. The UniGR-CBS is a thematic cross-border network of approximately 80 researchers within the university grouping University of the Greater Region conducting research on borders, their meanings and challenges. Due to its geographical position in the «heart of Europe», its expertise and disciplinary diversity, the UniGR-CBS has the best prerequisites for becoming a European network of excellence.

For the creation of a “European Center for Competence and Knowledge in Border Studies”, the Interreg VA Greater Region program provides the UniGR-CBS network with approximately EUR 2 million ERDF funding between 2018 and 2022. Within this project, the UniGR-CBS aims at developing harmonized research tools, embedding Border Studies in teaching, promoting the dialogue on cross-border challenges between academia and institutional actors and supporting the spatial development strategy of the Greater Region.


The UniGR-CBS Project is geared towards broadening and structuring the existing diversity of scientific competencies at the universities of the Greater Region in this subject area. The aim is to expand the existing cooperation between researchers at the six member universities in the university grouping within the Greater Region into a multidisciplinary Center for Competence and Knowledge with international visibility. The intention is to create appropriate and permanent framework conditions for scientific cooperation. In 2022, the UniGR-CBS was made permanent.

UniGR-Center for Border Studies

The UniGR-Center for Border Studies emerged from the Border Studies lighthouse area. The UniGR-CBS is a cross-border thematic network of around 80 academics from the member universities of the University of the Greater Region (UniGR), who conduct research on borders and their significance as well as border region issues. Thanks to its geographical location "in the heart of Europe", high level of expertise and disciplinary diversity, the UniGR-CBS has all the prerequisites for a European network of excellence.

Between 2018 and 2022, the UniGR-CBS network received almost EUR 2.6 million in ERDF funding as part of the INTERREG VA Greater Region program to establish a European competence and knowledge center for border region research. Over the course of the project, the UniGR-CBS network provided coordinated research tools, anchored border studies in teaching, developed the dialog on cross-border topics between scientific and institutional actors and contributed to the spatial development strategy of the Greater Region with its expertise. Against this background, the project is designed along the focal points of research, mobility, teaching, society and space.

The UniGR-CBS project also aimed to develop and structure the scientific expertise available at the universities in the Greater Region in this field of border research: The cooperation between the scientists* of the member universities of the University of the Greater Region (UniGR) network, which has already existed since 2014, is to be expanded into a multidisciplinary competence and knowledge center of international visibility. This will create a suitable and long-term framework for scientific cooperation. The UniGR-CBS was finally made permanent in 2022.