RUSTIK at the XI International Conference on Localised Agri-food Systems

From 1 to 4 September 2026, RUSTIK took part in the XI International Conference on Localised Agri-food Systems, hosted at the International Land Use Study Centre (ILUSC), James Hutton Institute, in Aberdeen, Scotland.

The conference brought together researchers and practitioners to explore how localised agri-food systems can be strengthened and future-proofed in the face of interconnected environmental, economic, social and political crises. Discussions were organised around three core themes: mapping territorial trajectories of localised agri-food systems; territorial responses to intersecting crises; and valuing local food systems and local territories.

On 2 September, Petya Slavova of Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski presented RUSTIK research entitled “Going beyond short food supply chains while exploring local restaurants as a progressive place.” Her presentation focused on the Central Balkan area of Bulgaria—covering Troyan, Apriltsi and Ugarchin—and examined the role that local restaurants can play in connecting food, people and place.

 

Beyond short supply chains

Petya’s research moves beyond a narrow understanding of local food as a product sourced nearby. It investigates restaurants as active intermediaries within localised food systems: places that can make local producers more visible, create meaningful links between visitors and suppliers, and support a stronger connection to local landscapes, culinary traditions and community life.

The work identified 64 restaurants in the Troyan area and developed a typology based on food sourcing, cuisine and the guests attracted. It distinguished between:

  • 39 “globalised” restaurants
  • 15 “glocalised” restaurants
  • 10 “localised” restaurants

The findings highlight that many suppliers to localised restaurants are family farms and household producers, including informal and small-scale actors that often remain overlooked in conventional food-system analysis.

 

Making local food visible

The research combined interviews with restaurant owners and food suppliers, local-menu experiments, information leaflets for restaurant guests, customer questionnaires and a 24-week online logbook tracking menu sales.

Participating restaurants introduced local menus comprising five dishes, with 80% of ingredients sourced locally. The results suggest that clearly communicating the local origin of food can make a tangible difference: dishes promoted as locally sourced recorded a weekly increase of 30% per food category. Restaurant visitors also showed strong interest in learning more about suppliers, with information leaflets helping to create direct connections between customers and local producers.

The research also found that local ingredients—including seasonal wild products such as nettles, mushrooms and herbs—can contribute to biodiversity, support local culinary heritage and create supplementary income opportunities for vulnerable groups and low-income households.

 

A shared vision for rural areas

RUSTIK’s participation in Aberdeen contributed to the conference debate on how localised agri-food systems can support resilient rural territories. Petya’s presentation underlined that restaurants are not simply commercial outlets: they can act as “progressive places” where local food, cultural identity, environmental resources and social relationships come together.

Recognising and strengthening the role of family farms, small-scale producers, local cuisine and localised restaurants can help rural areas build more inclusive and place-based pathways for endogenous development. Through this work, RUSTIK continues to explore how better data, stronger connections and greater visibility for local actors can support more sustainable and resilient rural futures.

RUSTIK at the Reallaborkonferenz 2026 in Cologne

RUSTIK will be present at the Reallaborkonferenz 2026, taking place from 16 to 17 September 2026 at TH Köln – University of Applied Sciences, Campus Leverkusen, under the theme “Zurück in die Zukunft? Reallabore in Zeiten disruptiven Wandels” (“Back to the future? Living labs in times of disruptive change”).

Two members of the RUSTIK consortium, Daria Ernst (Federal Institute of Agricultural Economics, Rural and Mountain Research, BAB, Austria) and Svea Thietje (Institute for Rural Development Research, IfLS, Germany — RUSTIK’s coordinating institution), will both attend the conference and will present their work back-to-back in the same parallel session: “Regionen, Stadt-Land-Beziehungen, territoriale Transformation” (Regions, urban-rural relations, territorial transformation), scheduled on Wednesday, 16 September, from 14:30 to 16:00.

Daria Ernst (BAB) will present “Konzeption und Umsetzung von Living Labs in ländlichen Regionen” (Design and implementation of living labs in rural areas), co-authored with Ingrid Machold, drawing on BAB’s experience coordinating RUSTIK’s Austrian Living Lab in the Nockregion-Oberkärnten.

Svea Thietje (IfLS) will present “Living Labs im Umgang mit sozialen Herausforderungen in ländlichen Räumen” (Living labs addressing social challenges in rural areas), co-authored with Sarah Peter and Simone Sterly, building on IfLS’s cross-country work analysing social inclusion challenges across several RUSTIK Living Labs.

The two presentations offer complementary perspectives from within the same project — one on the design and setup of living labs, the other on their social impact — providing session attendees with a joined-up view of RUSTIK’s approach to rural transformation.

Both talks build directly on RUSTIK’s mission to strengthen rural resilience and innovation through participatory living-lab approaches, and their joint appearance in the same session offers a strong opportunity to showcase complementary perspectives from the project — one centred on the design and setup of living labs, the other on their social impact — to a highly engaged audience of researchers and practitioners in transdisciplinary and real-world lab research.

The Reallaborkonferenz 2026 gathers a broad community working on real-world labs (“Reallabore”) across Germany and beyond, with a programme spanning keynotes, parallel workshops, doctoral and student tracks, and thematic sessions on topics such as governance, evaluation, transfer, and territorial transformation. RUSTIK’s participation reinforces the project’s ongoing dialogue with the wider living-lab and real-world-lab research community on shared challenges around rural transformation.

From Data to Action: Explore the RUSTIK & GRANULAR Final Conference Report

Europe’s rural future is being shaped right now, and the new RUSTIK & GRANULAR Joint Final Conference report shows how. It brings together four years of joint work and two intense days of discussion in Brussels on turning granular evidence into smarter, fairer rural policies.

A window into Europe’s rural future

Held in June 2026, the final conference gathered more than 150 participants: EU policymakers, researchers, local development practitioners, LAGs and civil society organisations. It was a rare moment where people working on the ground and people designing policies sat together to ask a simple question: how do we make rural territories visible—and heard—in decision-making?

The report captures those conversations in an accessible way, making it ideal reading if you care about rural transitions, territorial intelligence or place-based policy.

Consult here the full report

Day 1: Understanding rural complexity

The first day of the conference zoomed in on “Evidence, data & tools to measure rural territorial complexity.” You’ll find in the report:

  • Keynotes explaining why functional rural areas and granular data matter more than old urban–rural labels.
  • Roundtables on new data sources—from mobility datasets to qualitative evidence—and what it really takes for institutions to turn numbers into action.
  • Practical tools and analytical frameworks that help reveal the diversity of rural territories rather than hiding it behind averages.

This is not just theory; it’s about giving local and regional actors the instruments they need to argue for tailored solutions.

Day 2: Making rural-proofed policies real

The second day turned from “what we know” to “what we do with it,” under the theme “From evidence to action: delivering place-based policies and rural proofing in the EU.”

In the report, you can explore:

  • Concrete rural proofing methodologies tested in different territories.
  • The idea of decentralised rural proofing, where regions themselves assess how policies affect their communities.
  • Debates on how to embed rural proofing across the whole policy cycle, as an ongoing governance process rather than a one-off checklist.

If you’re wondering how to move from pilots and projects to long-term change, these sections offer grounded reflections and examples.

Voices and stories from Living Labs

One of the most inspiring parts of the report is the variety of voices: from Welsh counties and French tourist regions to Italian, Scottish and Bulgarian cases. You’ll read how Living Labs:

  • Combine local knowledge with quantitative data to make “invisible” territorial dynamics visible.
  • Engage young people, migrants and other often-overlooked groups in shaping rural transition strategies.
  • Use dashboards, mapping and participatory tools to help communities and policymakers work from the same evidence base.

These experiences show that rural areas are not just sites of challenge but of innovation, creativity and opportunity.

Why you should read it, and share it

If you are:

  • A policymaker: the report offers concrete approaches to rural proofing and territorial intelligence you can adapt.
  • A researcher: it shows how your work can connect to policy processes and local knowledge.
  • A practitioner or active citizen: it gives you language, examples and tools to advocate for place-based rural solutions in your own territory.

By reading and sharing the report, you help ensure that the lessons from RUSTIK & GRANULAR continue to inform Europe’s rural future well beyond the lifetime of the projects.

Visit the RUSTIK website, download the Joint Final Conference report, and let it inspire your next steps towards more just, resilient and opportunity-rich rural territories.

RUSTIK at the 4th European Rural Geographies Conference

The 4th European Rural Geographies Conference took place in Porto, Portugal from 22 to 26 June 2026, hosted by the University of Porto under the theme “Reinventing Rural Spaces: Resilience, Innovation and Sustainability in a Changing World”. The event brought together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers from across Europe to exchange knowledge on the futures of rural territories.

RUSTIK contributed to this year’s programme with two posters and one oral presentation, reflecting the project’s work across social inclusion, transdisciplinary methods, and digital innovation in rural areas.

 

Two Posters, Two Perspectives

The poster session featured two RUSTIK contributions, from the Institute for Rural Development Research (IfLS), the institution that coordinates the RUSTIK project.

Poster 1 — Comparing Social Inclusion Challenges in Rural Europe

“Comparing Social Inclusion Challenges in Rural Europe: Insights from Four RUSTIK Living Labs”,by Svea Thietje, Sarah Peter, and Carla Wember (IfLS).

Social and spatial inequalities increasingly shape rural development across Europe, yet their manifestations remain highly context-specific and are often poorly captured by existing data. Rural regions face challenges such as demographic change, limited services, and uneven development opportunities. The perspectives of under-represented groups are frequently missing from policy processes, highlighting the need for more participatory forms of knowledge production. Drawing on four RUSTIK Living Labs, this poster compares how different regions approach social inclusion challenges and explores what participatory methods can contribute to policy and practice.

Poster 2 — Knowledge through Transdisciplinary Methods

“Integrating System, Target and Transformation Knowledge through Transdisciplinary Methods: Insights from 14 Rural Living Labs in Europe” by Simone Sterly, and Carla Wember (IfLS).

This poster takes a project-wide perspective, presenting findings from all 14 RUSTIK Living Labs operating across 14 Pilot Regions in 10 European countries. It documents how Living Labs have experimented with new data collection and analysis tools, developed policy panoramas and transition narratives, built Theories of Change, and tested Decentralised Rural Proofing to address their specific transition challenges. The Integrating System, Target and Transformation framework is presented as a methodological contribution for structuring and advancing rural sustainability transitions.

 

Oral Presentation — Digital Innovation in Rural Areas

On 23 June, RUSTIK also featured in the oral session PS 3.6 · Changes, New Methods and Digital Innovation in Rural Areas (FCUP Auditorium FC6-029), chaired by Hossein Azadi, University of Ghent.

Under submission No. #100, Daniel Keech, Katarina Kubinakova, Aimee Morse, and Demelza Jones from the Countryside and Community Research Institute, University of Gloucestershire (UK) presented:

“Rural functions and digital transition: lessons from western England”

The presentation drew directly on the work of the Gloucestershire and Monmouthshire Living Labs — two of the RUSTIK Living Labs based in western England and Wales. The Gloucestershire Living Lab has focused on digital inclusion and data innovation, while the Monmouthshire Living Lab has explored demographic change through participatory mapping and dashboard tools. Together, they offer concrete evidence of how digital transition in rural areas requires social innovation alongside technological change — a key insight the presentation brings to the Porto audience.

 

Beyond RUSTIK’s Own Contributions

The RUSTIK presence at the conference extends beyond the project’s direct submissions. On 22 June, the Opening Session featured an inaugural lecture by Marion Eckardt from the ELARD Knowledge Hub — a RUSTIK consortium partner — under the title “From Practice to Policy: A Practitioner’s Journey Through the Development of Rural Europe”. It is a reminder that the conversation between research and practice lies at the core of what RUSTIK set out to do.

If you are attending the conference, the RUSTIK team looks forward to seeing you in Porto.

Introducing the RUSTIK Viewer Handbook

Rural areas across Europe are undergoing profound social, economic, environmental and digital transitions. Yet, these changes are often hidden behind averages and national statistics, making it hard for policymakers, researchers and local actors to truly see what is happening on the ground. That is precisely the gap the RUSTIK Data Viewer and the new RUSTIK Viewer Handbook aim to fill.



What is the RUSTIK Data Viewer?


The RUSTIK Data Viewer is an online, interactive mapping platform that brings together a wide range of territorial indicators on rural Europe. It allows users to visualise and analyse:


    

  • Socioeconomic dynamics such as population change, depopulation, social inclusion, access to services, employment and education.
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  • Environmental transition including climate risks (wildfires, droughts, heavy precipitation), land cover and land use, natural resources, protected areas and air quality.
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  • Digital transition through indicators on connectivity and digital infrastructure.
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  • Local experimentation with data from 14 RUSTIK Living Labs, where rural communities co-create knowledge and test new approaches.
    • 



The Viewer combines harmonised European datasets (e.g. from EU statistical and environmental agencies) with more granular local information, enabling comparisons between regions as well as deep dives into specific territories.




What does the Viewer Handbook offer?


The newly released RUSTIK Viewer Handbook is a practical companion designed to help users get the most out of the platform. It serves several purposes:


    

  • Onboarding new users: It explains the overall structure of the RUSTIK Data Viewer, its main components, and the types of indicators available.
    • 

  • Guided exploration: It walks through the different thematic areas (socioeconomic, environmental, digital and Living Labs) and shows how to navigate maps, layers and territorial units.
    • 

  • Interpretation support: It describes what each group of indicators tells us about rural transitions—for example, how to read demographic trends, what “service deserts” look like on a map, or how climate projections can inform local adaptation strategies.
    • 

  • Technical transparency: It details how the system is built (spatial database, map server, web viewer, security) and which reference datasets are integrated, helping users understand the robustness and limitations of the data they use.
    • 



Whether you are a local authority wanting to diagnose challenges in your territory, a researcher comparing regions, or an innovation actor working in a Living Lab, the handbook is designed as a bridge between complex data infrastructure and practical, real-world questions.




Why this matters for rural policy and practice


Rural territories face intertwined challenges: aging populations and outmigration, unequal access to services, exposure to climate risks, pressure on ecosystems, and gaps in digital connectivity. At the same time, they hold crucial assets for Europe’s future: food production, biodiversity, renewable energy and cultural heritage.


The RUSTIK Data Viewer helps make these realities visible by:


    

  • Revealing spatial inequalities that national averages can hide.
    • 

  • Allowing users to combine different dimensions (e.g. demographics, services and mobility) in the same analysis.
    • 

  • Supporting evidence-based decision-making, from strategic planning and funding applications to monitoring the impact of policies over time.
    • 



The Viewer Handbook turns this potential into something accessible: a clear, structured guide that shows where to start, which indicators to use for which questions, and how to interpret what appears on the map.




Who is the handbook for?


The guide is especially useful for:


    

  • Local and regional administrations working on rural development, cohesion policy, climate adaptation, or service planning.
    • 

  • Researchers and analysts interested in territorial data, sustainability transitions and rural inequalities.
    • 

  • Living Lab partners and practitioners who need to connect local insights with broader European trends.
    • 

  • Civil society organisations looking for robust, visual evidence to inform advocacy and community projects.
    • 



If you work with rural territories and need to ground your decisions in data, the combination of the RUSTIK Data Viewer and the Viewer Handbook is designed for you.


       
Local cheese producers and Hotel Sunce agree on trial supply partnership
A Living Lab meeting under the RUSTIK project brings together dairy producers from the Municipality of Boljevac and Sokobanja’s flagship hotel to shorten the farm-to-table chain.


On 27 April 2026, Hotel Sunce in Sokobanja hosted a Living Lab meeting organized by RARIS (the Regional Development Agency for Eastern Serbia) and the Municipality of Boljevac. The gathering brought together dairy farmers and cheese producers from the Boljevac area and representatives of Hotel Sunce — one of the most prominent hotels in the Sokobanja tourist destination.


The meeting was convened to address a well-documented gap in local food supply chains: despite the richness of the region’s agricultural output, locally produced goods remain underrepresented in the menus and offerings of tourist facilities. A group of family farms and dairy company attended, each presenting product samples directly to Hotel Sunce’s management team.


The session concluded with a concrete agreement: Hotel Sunce will purchase trial quantities across the full range of products offered by the participating producers. Based on guest feedback received during this pilot phase, the Hotel intends to move to regular orders from local suppliers.


 








Research background


This meeting is a direct practical outcome of data experiment carried out under the RUSTIK project to improve short food supply chains in the region. In Sokobanja and Boljevac, researchers interviewed 37 restaurants, hotels, and rural tourism households, 29 agricultural holdings, and 12 small and medium-sized agri-food businesses. A key finding was that local products are insufficiently present in the tourist offering — a gap this partnership now directly begins to close.


“With today’s concrete agreements, we are creating the conditions for a stronger connection between tourism and agriculture.” — RARIS / RUSTIK project team.







         
RUSTIK & GRANULAR Final Conference
CHECK THE AGENDA


 


The GRANULAR and RUSTIK projects are pleased to invite you to their joint Final Conference, taking place on 24–25 June 2026 at Fondation Universitaire in Brussels, Belgium.


Objectives


    

  • Present and discuss the key results of the GRANULAR and RUSTIK Horizon Europe projects.
    • 

  • Showcase the tools and policy recommendations developed over the past four years.
    • 

  • Share insights and experiences from the GRANULAR and RUSTIK Multi-Actor Labs / Living Labs.
    • 

  • Facilitate exchange and networking among stakeholders working on rural development and innovation.
    • 



Programme Overview


Day 1 – 24 June (13:30–18:00)

Focus on the main research findings and outputs from both projects, including local perspectives and contributions from external speakers.

The day will conclude with a networking drink.


Day 2 – 25 June (09:00–14:00)

Explore future perspectives for rural policies and present practical, on-the-ground experiences based on the projects’ impact.

The conference will close with a networking lunch.


Who should attend?


This two-day event will bring together project partners, policymakers, practitioners, and rural stakeholders interested in rural development and innovation.


Important information


Please note that participants are responsible for covering their own travel, accommodation, and subsistence costs.


Heading to Brussels? Find everything you need to plan your trip in our Participants toolkit.


Event details


    

  • Location: Fondation Universitaire (Rue d’Egmont 11, 1000 Brussels, Belgium)
    • 

  • Dates: 24–25 June 2026
    • 

  • Language: English
    • 



 


CHECK THE AGENDA


*Registration is now closed!


  
Save the Date: RUSTIK & GRANULAR Final Conference
The RUSTIK and GRANULAR projects will hold their joint Final Conference on 24–25 June 2026 at Fondation Universitaire in Brussels, Belgium.


The two-day event will bring together project partners, policymakers, practitioners and rural stakeholders to share key results and discuss future perspectives for rural development and innovation.


On the first day (24 June, 13:30–18:00), the programme will focus on presenting the main research outputs from both projects, including local perspectives and contributions from external speakers. The session will conclude with a networking drink.


The second day (25 June, 09:00–14:00) will look ahead to the future of rural policies and highlight practical, on-the-ground experiences based on the two projects impact. The conference will close with a networking lunch.


More information, including registration details and the full agenda, will be available soon. Stay tuned!


       
Living Labs in Action: creating sustainable rural futures through new data and tools
The UK RUSTIK Regional Dissemination Event, held on 20 November 2025 at the historic Blackfriars Priory in Gloucester, brought together around 40 participants representing research, local government, community organisations, and policy. Titled “Creating Sustainable Rural Futures through New Data and Tools,” the half-day workshop explored how innovative data approaches and participatory mapping can inform more resilient and inclusive rural strategies.


 


Opening and Context


The event opened with welcoming remarks from Professor Matthew Reed, Director of the Countryside and Community Research Institute (CCRI) and Head of Research at the University of Gloucestershire. His introduction set the tone for an afternoon focused on rural sustainability, grounded in both regional experience and wider European collaborations.


Participants then received updates from the UK Living Labs across the RUSTIK and GRANULAR projects. Speakers included Daniel Keech and Katarina Kubinakova (Gloucestershire Living Lab), Aimee Morse (Monmouthshire Living Lab), Demelza Jones (Monmouthshire County Council), and Jonathan Hopkins (James Hutton Institute, GRANULAR Scotland Living Lab).


 


Insights from the Living Labs


 


1. Monmouthshire Living Lab – Understanding demographic change


Aimee Morse and Demelza Jones presented a data experiment on demographic change implemented as part of the Living Lab, exploring ways to achieve better demographic balance by retaining and attracting younger working-aged people to live and work in the county. Their three-step approach included:


    

  1. Developing a prototype dashboard, using Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation data and satellite imagery.
    2. 

  2. Gathering new data with Maptionnaire, targeting residents aged 16–44 to address gaps in existing datasets. Several interviews and focus groups were conducted to complement the survey.
    3. 

  3. Analysing results to support local planning and decision-making.
    4. 



Key issues affecting liveability for younger residents included high housing and living costs, limited educational and employment opportunities, public transport constraints, and a lack of social, leisure, or retail options. Positive comments highlighted green spaces, access to the countryside, and a peaceful, safe environment.


The findings provide Monmouthshire County Council with a baseline dataset on a group they previously had little information about, offering granular insights that can support decisions where “official statistics flatten local rural variations.”


Next steps include linking findings with the UKRI-funded Rural Wales Local Policy and Innovation Partnership, contributing to the Well-being of Future Generations Act regional wellbeing assessment, and undertaking deeper research on the public transport needs of younger working-age residents.


 


2. GRANULAR Scotland – New rural data for policy


From the James Hutton Institute, Jonathan Hopkins presented work from the GRANULAR project’s Scottish Living Lab. With 24 partners, 7 Living Labs, and 9 replication labs, GRANULAR focuses on generating spatially detailed rural knowledge.


Hopkins discussed research on:


    

  • Drivers of rural wellbeing advantages in Great Britain.
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  • Daily mobility patterns and accessibility.
    • 

  • Rural proofing in collaboration with Ecorys.
    • 



The team confirmed the “rural wellbeing advantage”, a paradox where rural areas report higher subjective wellbeing despite reduced access to services—using a broad suite of geographic, socioeconomic, and environmental variables.


 


3. Gloucestershire Living Lab – Digital inclusion and data innovation


The Gloucestershire Living Lab team, represented by Daniel Keech and Katarina Kubinakova, presented work on digital transition challenges in the county’s four rural districts (additionally, there are two mainly urban districts in the county). Partnering with community-sector providers, a smart dashboard was developed by the University of Gloucestershire team enabling users (predominantly voluntary sector organisations) to import datasets, clean data, and perform analyses based on geographical levels. The dashboard also supports cross-reference analysis across different datasets and includes heat-map visualisation for both numerical and categorical data.


The Gloucestershire LL team also briefly presented some preliminary findings from their recent online survey linked to decentralised rural proofing of the DIIIS.  The survey shows that most digital support is directed towards vulnerable people, and that organisations targeting rural areas consistently report greater difficulty due to resource constraints and a rapidly changing public-service environment.


A key takeaway: fine-grain data doesn’t always inform policy, but the dashboard marks a significant improvement in rural data analysis, though its success also depends on social innovation and clearer strategic direction for rural digital transformation.


 


Panel: Mapping Tools for Policy and Engagement


A panel discussion chaired by Demelza Jones brought together:



The panel explored how mapping tools, participatory surveys, creative place-based methods, and continuous community dialogue can strengthen evidence-based policy. Scott Orford showcased work using poetry, videos, storytelling, and open-street mappers to mobilise community insights. Asta Hiippala highlighted the importance of ongoing dialogue rather than one-off extraction of data, noting how some cities, such as Helsinki, publish anonymised results openly to encourage transparency.


After the break, lightning talks provided additional examples of how local data can support rural policy development and informed the day’s final activity: group discussions.


 


Rural Wales Local Policy and Innovation Partnership – Strengthening evidence for policy


The Rural Wales LPIP‘s work on building a wellbeing economy for rural Wales, with a focus on inclusive and sustainable growth was presented by Matthew Reed, on behalf of Professor Michael Woods (Aberystwyth University) and Scott Orford.


The projects approach includes:


    

  • Strengthening the evidence base for rural policymaking.
    • 

  • Community-led action research, enabling communities to identify local issues, design research, and use evidence.
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  • A new LPIP data hub, designed to support stakeholders across rural Wales.
    • 



This work complements that of the RUSTIK Living Labs by expanding data access and improving regional policymaking capacity.


 


Closing remarks


The afternoon concluded with group discussions and a plenary session led by the RUSTIK UK team, summarising key takeaways on how local data, community-driven engagement, and fine-grained analysis can contribute to more resilient rural futures.


Building on earlier RUSTIK workshops in Galicia and Finland, the UK event reinforced the importance of collaboration, knowledge exchange, and adaptive, data-informed strategies in navigating demographic, digital, and environmental transitions.


        
RUSTIK Regional Dissemination Event in the UK: Creating Sustainable Rural Futures Through Data and Tools
The RUSTIK Regional Dissemination Event in the UK will take place on Thursday, 20 November 2025, from 13:00 to 16:30 GMT at the historic Blackfriars Priory in Gloucester.


This half-day event, titled “Creating Sustainable Rural Futures through New Data and Tools,” will bring together researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and community leaders to explore how innovative data approaches and participatory mapping can inform more resilient and inclusive rural strategies.


 


Event Highlights


The afternoon will open with a welcome and introduction by Professor Matthew Reed, Director of the Countryside and Community Research Institute (CCRI) and Head of Research at the University of Gloucestershire. His remarks will set the tone for a dynamic discussion on rural sustainability, grounded in regional and European perspectives.


Participants will then hear an overview of work from the UK Living Labs, presented by the RUSTIK and GRANULAR project teams. Confirmed speakers include:



A panel discussion will follow, exploring the role of spatial data and mapping tools in strengthening community engagement and shaping effective local policy.

Panellists include:



After a short coffee break, a series of lightning talks will highlight innovative approaches to using local data in rural policy development. Presenters include Michael Woods (Aberystwyth University) and Scott Orford (Cardiff University).


The afternoon will continue with facilitated group discussions, inviting participants to share their insights and ideas on the future use of local data for sustainable rural policies. The event will close with a plenary session, gathering key takeaways and reflections, led by the RUSTIK UK team.


 


Why Attend


This event offers a valuable platform to:


    

  • Discover how data-driven tools and participatory methods are reshaping rural development.
    • 

  • Exchange knowledge and experiences across research, policy, and practice.
    • 

  • Contribute to ongoing discussions on evidence-based, locally grounded strategies for rural sustainability.
    • 



Attendees can expect lively debate, hands-on insights, and new connections to support rural innovation in the UK and across Europe.


 


Building on Previous Regional Workshops


This UK dissemination event builds on the success of previous RUSTIK regional workshops, including recent sessions in Galicia, which focused on multi-actor approaches to rural sustainability, and earlier discussions on innovative responses to rural demographic shifts, in Finland.


Together, these events highlight the growing importance of collaboration, knowledge exchange, and adaptive, data-informed strategies in shaping the future of rural regions.


 


Check the AGENDA!