The 2008 ERSA Congress will be jointly hosted by the Department of Civic Design at the University of Liverpool and the British and Irish Section of the Regional Science Association International.

Chosen as European Capital of Culture for 2008, Liverpool has been the focus for numerous regeneration initiatives. The City has changed dramatically in the last decade and is emerging as one of the UK's leading centres for learning, culture, entertainment, sport and endeavour. The Congress will provide an excellent opportunity to see, and reflect on, the substantial progress that has been made.

The overarching theme for the Congress will be Culture, Cohesion and Competitiveness – Regional Perspectives. This encapsulates a number of different aspects that are topical and relevant not only for Liverpool but also across the whole of Europe.
The programme will be organised around a variety of topics and include plenary sessions with lectures by distinguished keynote speakers, including Professor Ed Glaeser (Harvard).