Our Research Environment
We are a small, interdisciplinary research community working closely with practitioners on regional and local development, often with a focus on rural-peripheral areas.
Interdisciplinarity
We are not a university with narrowly specialized researchers, rather, we form an interdisciplinary research environment.
Our researchers have diverse profiles and special research interests and networks, but share a strong commitment to localand regional development. Our team has extensive experience with practical collaborative methods.
CRT's four senior researchers cover disciplines such as human geography and tourism, economic geography, innovation studies, sociology of technology, and educational geography.
Research themes
CRT's research focuses on geographical issues along with the conditions and opportunities for development in rural peripheral areas.
A key characteristic of CRT's research is a multi-local and multi-scalar perspective on development– understanding the connections and interactions between places, as well as there sources, frames and opportunities that condition their development.
- Business development and innovation in rural-peripheral regions
- Tourism, local development and land use
- Young adults, education and mobility
- Resource based place development
Acrossthese fields, we are working on creating a common knowledge base on green transitioning from a place perspective, i.e., problems and opportunities that the green transition presents in different types of communities and local contexts.
Methods
At CRT, we work interdisciplinarily and employ both qualitative and quantitative methods. When ever possible, several researchers collaborate on our projects, which enables the building of shared knowledge.
Most of our research projects combine qualitative and quantitative data and methods. CRT's easy access to register-based statistical data and modeling capabilities strengthens our research efforts.
Close contact with actors
In CRT’s research, we often have close relationships and dialogues with clients and partners. In particular, we work closely with practitioners and stakeholders in local and regional business promotion, education planning, tourism and citizen-driven innovation.
Our applied, collaborative approach, combined with our focus on rural-peripheral areas, makes us an attractive partner for universities and other research environments.
A research centre in rural-peripheral areas
Over our 30 years as a research centre, we have proven that being a small organisation is not a disadvantage. While we are not a supertanker, we are an academically broad research community that is maneuverable in responding to changing conditions and trends in regional and local development.
We follow the same standards as universities for employment in research positions: researchers must have a PhD degree, they must publish in recognised research channels, and they must participate in Danish and international research networks.
CRT currently has four experienced senior scientists, all of whom are qualified senior researchers.
