CULTPLAN: Planning as culture in Europe. Learning from differences in planning related to the cultural context

CULTPLAN analyzes cultural influences and their manifestations in INTERREGIII projects and the way these differences have been recognized and managed. The cultural analysis addresses issues of dealing with regulation frameworks and administrations, practices of cooperation between partners all over Europe and practices of exchanging knowledge and strategies concerning future regional development. 

Based on this analysis conclusions and recommendations for managing cultural differences in INTERREG initiatives and international planning processes are formulated.

The project focuses on the INTERREG practice: real daily life practice of doing INTERREG projects in collaboration with partners representing other cultures. 

CULTPLAN poses the following questions:

• How and where does culture manifest in international cooperation? (manifestation of culture)How does culture work in international cooperation? (mechanisms of cultu
• How can culture be recognized in international cooperation? (recognition of culture)
• How can cultural variety be managed? (managing culture)
• How to benefit from cultural variety? (cultural variety as resource)

These questions are answered based on an analysis of 20 INTERREG cases (A, B and C) and a pan European questionnaire sent out to INTERREG program managers, project managers and contact persons.