Design at the University of Liverpool and the British and

Irish Section of the RSAI. A team of regional scientists from throughout Britain and Ireland has worked hard to create a particularly strong conference programme. Chosen as European Capital of Culture for 2008, the City of Liverpool has been the focus for numerous regeneration initiatives. The City has changed dramatically in the last decade and is rapidly emerging as one of the UK's leading centres for learning, culture, entertainment, sport and endeavour. The Congress will, I am sure, provide an excellent opportunity to see, and reflect on, the substantial progress that has been made. The City has mounted a major programme of cultural events extending throughout the year and I hope you will have the chance to sample these during your brief stay. The Department of Civic Design, the world's first planning school, will celebrate its centenary in 2009 and the Congress is one of several special events intended to recognise this important milestone. Despite its title, which might suggest a rather narrow architectural focus, the Department of Civic Design has a proud tradition of inter-disciplinary research in regional science embracing urban and regional analysis, planning methodology, geodemographics, demographic-economic analysis and strategic environmental assessment. The overarching theme for the Liverpool Congress is Culture, Cohesion and Competitiveness- Regional Perspectives, chosen because it encapsulates a number of different aspects that are topical not only for Liverpool but also across the whole of Europe. Plenary lectures, special sessions, round table discussions and a range of technical excursions ensure that this theme is fully reflected in th