Introduction

"Local development", "Regional development" and "Territorial development", concepts regularly used in specialized literature, are subject to diverse interpretations and debate. Here, these concepts are used to define the set of social, cultural and economic processes that promote the economic dynamism and improvement of life quality of the population in a territory (metropolitan area, urban center, region, province, municipality, etc.).

To do so, it is necessary to train its institutions, professional groups, community organizations, businesspersons, government employees, managers, and others, with relevant information and knowledge in order to organize and mobilize it through its material, institutional, political and human resources. This way, the population will be able to define its priorities and to exploit its comparative advantages to reach competitiveness and to participate in globalization.

The Centre for Human Settlements (CHS) at the University of British Columbia

The Centre for Human Settlements (CHS) at the University of British Columbia develops research programs and provides multidisciplinary training in urban, regional and communal development. CHS is a unit within the School of Community and Regional Planning. Professors and students from many departments participate in CHS projects CHS is qualified as "Centre of Excellence" in planning of human settlements by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA-ACDI).

The Centre's partners conduct policy related research on research topics including gender equity, sustainable and healthy communities, urban-rural relations, metropolitan governance, disaster management, risk analysis and community planning. Its biggest projects focus on capacity building in Vietnam, China, Brazil and Sri Lanka.

Centre supporters:

• Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA - ACDI)
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP - PNUD)
• Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)
• International Development Research Centre (IDRC-Canada)
• The Hampton Foundation
• The Japan Foundation

Centro Latinoamericano de Economía Humana (CLAEH)

Founded in 1957, CLAEH was officially recognized as a University Institute in October 1997. CLAEH's education is oriented to post graduate studies (diploma and masters degree) in social sciences and focuses in the least attended regions of Latin America or those who are in need of highly qualified human resources. Training is offered and integrated with national and international university systems. This allows CLAEH to maintain agreements with local and foreign universities and institutions.

CLAEH's courses in 2007 include, among others: Diploma in Local Management of Development, Masters Degree in Social Policies, Specialization and Masters Degree in Integration and MERCOSUR, Masters Degree in Child and Teenage Policies for Prevention of Drug Addiction, Diploma in Health Economics, Specialization and Masters Degree in Health Policies and Management, International Course of Health Promotion, Diploma in Digital Documentation, Post graduation in Sociology of Communication, Masters Degree in Educational Technology, Masters Degree in Education Policies and Management, Masters Degree in Education and Work.

CLAEH maintains cooperation agreements with:

• Syracuse and Pittsburgh Universities -New York and Kansas, USA
• Catholic University at Lovaina - Belgium
• Sciences Po - Chaire Mercosur - Paris
• Universidad Nacional de La Plata - Argentina
• Universidad Centroamericana - El Salvador
• Instituto Roberto Simonsen - FIESP - Brazil
• Instituto de Estudios Estratégicos - Portugal
• Universidad Católica del Uruguay
• Fondo de las Naciones Unidas para la Infancia - UNICEF
• Instituto Interamericano del Niño
• Universidad de la República, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales ICP
• Plenario de Instituciones de Asistencia Médica Colectiva - IAMC
• IHEAL (Institut des Hautes Etudes de l'Amérique Latine), Universidad de Paris

Urbanisation, Culture et Societé (INRS-UCS)

INRS Urbanisation, Culture et Societé is, arguably, the largest university-based social siecnce research centre in the Province of Quebec. UCS-INRS is part of the University of Quebec system and offers Master’s and Ph. D. degree-granting programmes.

The Centre Urbanisation, Culture et Societé houses a team of thirty-four full-time social scientists (professors/ researchers) working on a wide range of issues. The major research areas are: cities and regions; population; culture, science and technology.

Researchers at the Centre use both qualitative and quantitative techniques and make a wide use of social statistics. The Centre encourages comparative research on urban, social and cultural issues, with a focus on Quebec. Projects often have a strong public policy and institutional content.

Research results are disseminated through various channels, including the Centre’s website. Projects are chosen on the basis of scientific worth and social relevance and funded via research grants and contracts.

The Centre Urbanisation, Culture et Societé acts as a forum for researchers in the region working in related fields. Faculty members have developed numerous networks with colleagues and experts around the world. The Centre’s researchers work with partners in Canada and other nations on an on-going basis, including with developing nations.

Faculty members teach and supervise students in graduate programmes offered jointly with other university institutions. Training courses for practitioners are also provided as the need arises. Postdoctoral fellowships and research internships aim to prepare young researchers for careers in different environments.

A research support staff of approximately twenty provides essential services covering information technologies, statistical analysis, cartography and G.I.S., as well as library and secretarial services.

The Centre Urbanisation, Culture et Societé has offices in Montreal and in Quebec City. For more information, visit the Website:

http://www.inrs-ucs.uquebec.ca

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SAREL

INRS-UCS is home to more than a dozen research groups, of which SAREL (Spatial Analysis and Regional Economics Laboratory) is one of the most important.

A diversity of research subjects are covered by the members of SAREL. The unifying theme remains the use of spatialised data and the integration of spatial dimensions in analysis. SAREL research activities are clustered around three main areas.

Area 1: The Transformation of Metropolitan Spaces

Research in this area aims at a better understanding of the internal spatial dynamics of metropolitan areas and their surroundings. Research undertaken within this area has, for example, covers the following topics:

• Evolution of the employment centers in the principal Canadian metropolitan areas;
• Comparative analysis of the internal urban structures of Canadian and US metropolitan areas;
• Analysis and modeling of residence-work flows (excess commuting);
• Spatial accessibility to employment centers;
• Economic environment and labour markets in Montreal;
• Accessibility to services and facilities in Montreal;
• Identification and analysis of poverty zones in Montreal;
• Evolution of poverty zones in Montreal.

Area 2: Regional Employment Dynamics

Research in this area aims at a better understanding of factors related to regional economic growth and industrial location in North-America (Canada, United States and Mexico). Research undertaken within this area has, for example, covers the following topics:

• Analysis of industry location model in North-America; comparisons between Canada, United States and Mexico. Are processes and patterns the same in the three nations?;
• Comparative analysis of the evolution of industrial structures by regions (Quebec, Canada, United States and Mexico);
• Construction of an explanatory model of regional employment and income growth in Canada;
• The positioning of Montreal on several economic indicators compared to other North-American metropolitan areas;
• The analysis of migratory movements inside Canada, in particular for university graduates; the relationship with growth, employment structure and other socio-economic and geographic variables.

Area 3: Methodological Development

Work in this area aims at developing methodological approaches and tools for spatial analysis, supporting research in the two preceding areas. Other work involves the production of interactive atlases as a tool for disseminating research results. Specifically, work covers the following aspects:

• The structuring of spatial databases;
• Development of statistical methods and tools for the analysis of spatial data;
• Editing of interactive atlases, accessible via the Internet, for the dissemination and the transfer of research results.

For more information, visit the SAREL Website:

http://laser.ucs.inrs.ca/EN/Home.html