Development of Cities & Regions

Our research focuses on understanding and shaping the development of cities and regions, with particular emphasis on resilience, sustainability, social justice, and quality of life. We integrate geographical, urban, environmental, and socio-economic perspectives and examine how global challenges—such as climate change or peripheralization—manifest in urban and regional contexts. We also pursue long-term research into the transformation of old industrial regions, with special attention to the Moravian-Silesian Region. We study the decline of traditional industries and the emergence of new sectors, the impacts of foreign investment, population outmigration, unemployment, and the challenges of brownfield redevelopment. Applied research plays an important role in our work, particularly in shaping policy through consultancy and strategic planning.

Research Teams and Staff Involved:

  • URSA – Urban and Regional Studies & Applications
    Research Team Leader: Ondřej Slach
  • doc. Petr Rumpel,
  • prof. Jan Ženka,
  • Dr. Petr Dvořák,
  • Dr. Jan Macháček,
  • Dr. Petr Žufan,
  • Dr. Suyash Jolly,
  • Dr. Daniel Kaplan,
  • Dr. Roman Matoušek,
  • Dr. Salman Qureshi,
  • Dr. Luděk Krtička,
  • Dr. Martin Bárta,
  • Dr. Marcin Spyra,
  • prof. Gert-Jan Hospers,
  • Dr. Sanda Nicola,
  • Dr. Mahsa Tarashkar,
  • Dr. Simona Štastná,
  • Dr. Atil Bilal Aslam,
  • Dr. Artem Chesalkin,
  • Dr. Peter Nemec

Major projects over the last five years:

  • SFŽP, CZ.10.03.01/00/22_003/0000048: REFRESH – Research Excellence for Region Sustainability and High-Tech Industries
  • Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MŠMT), CZ.02.01.01/00/23_021/0008591: The Social Dimension of New Technologies in the Energy Sector in the Ostrava Metropolitan Area, 10/2024–12/2028
  • Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MŠMT), CZ.02.01.01/00/23_021/0008759: Enhancing the Resilience of Energy Networks in the Context of Decarbonisation, Decentralisation, and Sustainable Socio-Economic Development, 1/2025–12/2028
  • Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (TAČR), CK04000226: Implementation of Walkability as a Tool to Support Sustainable Mobility in Czech Cities, 1/2023–6/2024
  • Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MŠMT), EF17_049/0008452: Smart Technologies for Improving Quality of Life in Cities and Regions, 1/2019–4/2023
  • Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (TAČR), TL01000498: Revitalisation of Urban Centres and Other Public Spaces in the Czech Republic: Challenges, International Inspiration, and Solutions, 3/2018–12/2020

Významné publikace

  • TARASHKAR, M., RAHIMI, A. A QURESHI, S. (2025): AI-driven insights into urban agriculture: Using youtube data to promote social resilience and self-sufficiency. Sustainable Cities and Society. 123 ISSN 2210-6707.
  • NIZAMANI, M. M., QURESHI, S., TARASHKAR, M., ZHANG, H., ZHOU, Q. A ZHONPING, L. (2025): Ethical AI: Human-centered approaches for adaptive and sustainable urban planning and policy. Land Use Policy. 157, ISSN 0264-8377.
  • SPYRA, M., CORTINOVIS, C. A RONCHI, S. (2025): An overview of policy instruments for sustainable peri-urban landscapes: Towards governance mixes. Cities. 2025, 156, ISSN 0264-2751.
  • BOSÁK, V., SLACH, O., PASZOVÁ, L., HÝLLOVÁ, L., MYKHNENKO, V., KRTIČKA, L. A NOVÁČEK, A. (2024): Coping with peripheralization in small cities. What is the role of human agency?. European Planning Studies. 32(11), s. 2360-2380. ISSN 0965-4313.
  • BOSÁK, V., SLACH, O., ŽENKOVÁ RUDINCOVÁ, K., ŽENKA, J. A PASZOVÁ, L. (2024): Developing social-ecological justice through a context-sensitive reuse of urban vacant spaces. ENVIRON SCI POLICY.  159, ISSN 1462-9011.
  • BOSÁK, V., SLACH, O., HÝLLOVÁ, L., NOVÁČEK, A. A POHORSKÁ, B. (2023): Europeanisation mechanisms in context: metropolitan development through integrated territorial investments in Central and Eastern Europe. Regional Studies. 57(8), s. 1546-1558. ISSN 1360-0591.
  • ŽENKOVÁ RUDINCOVÁ, K., ŽENKA, J., BOSÁK, V., SLACH, O., ISTRATE, A. A NOVÁČEK, A. (2023): Perception and preferred reuse of vegetated vacant lots along main streets in a shrinking city. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. 85(July), s. 1-12. ISSN 1618-8667.
  • HAASE, A., BONTJE, M., COUCH, C., MARCINCAK, S., RINK, D., WOLFF, M. A RUMPEL, P. (2021): Factors driving the regrowth of European cities and the role of local and contextual impacts: A contrasting analysis of regrowing and shrinking cities.. Cities. 108(102942), ISSN 0264-2751.
  • SLACH, O., NOVÁČEK, A., BOSÁK, V. A KRTIČKA, L. (2020): Mega-retail-led regeneration in the shrinking city: Panacea or placebo?. Cities,  č. 104, ISSN 0264-2751.
  • BOSÁK, V., SLACH, O., NOVÁČEK, A. A KRTIČKA, L. (2020): Temporary use and brownfield regeneration in post-socialist context: from bottom-up governance to artists exploitation. EUR PLAN STUD. 28(3), s. 604-626. ISSN 0965-4313.

Updated: 10. 06. 2026