Regional governance in the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region

Since 2003, the aim of the Zukunft Metropolregion Rhein-Neckar [future of the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region] has been to turn the seventh-largest conurbation in Germany into one of the most attractive and competitive regions in Europe. Despite its many strengths – it is home to international companies, renowned research institutes and universities, and offers a wide variety of leisure, cultural, and sporting opportunities – the region has tended to be somewhat overlooked, both at home and abroad, and had not developed those strengths effectively. This needed to change – with close collaboration between government, business, science, and action groups.

Since 2003, IFOK has been advising key stakeholders in the region on the systematic development of the location. Central elements here are the targeted integration of central key stakeholders and the general public, the development and implementation of concrete cooperation projects, and the strengthening of the region’s identity. Alongside this, communication measures have been undertaken and efficient project management and regional development structures established. In 2003/2004, IFOK also set up an office for the region and in 2005, turned this into an organisation of self-supporting structures. Since 2006, IFOK has been supporting the process in strategic further development and in the “Flourishing Job Market” area. Since 2003, renowned figures from business, politics, science, and government have implemented a range of projects. For example, in 2005 a new treaty was approved for the Rhine-Neckar area and the region was recognised as a European metropolitan region. In a business declaration, more than 150 companies pledged their commitment to the metropolitan region. In 2006, the business and political spheres created joint strategic and operational structures on the agreed regional development and made way for greater efficiency and effectiveness by removing old committees. With the Metropolregion Rhein-Neckar project, IFOK is playing an important role in linking up politics, business, and science, improving the quality of life, the environment, and employment opportunities in the region. After just a few years, the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region is now regarded as a model project for successful regional governance, that is, the cooperation between different regional stakeholders in order to achieve common goals. People’s awareness of the region and of the most important activities is growing year by year, and thanks to coordinated trade fair presence and successful participation in cluster competitions, this awareness has spread to national and international level.