1. Personal information

Name: Pálné Ilona Kovács
Date of birth: 11 June 1954
Place of birth: Pécs, Hungary
Marital status: Married
Children: Daniel (1980), Marton (1983).
Home address: H-7625 Pécs, Szőlő u. 33.
Home phone: (36-72) 515-445
e-mail: palne@rkk.hu


2. Education

– Habilitation at University of Pecs, 2001. The governance of regional policy in Hungary and Europe
– DSc of HAS, 2000, thesis: Regional policy and public administration
– PhD in Political Science at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, in 1988. Title of the thesis: Local political relations and institutions.
– Graduated from University of Pécs, Faculty of Law 1978.


3. Present position and place of work

– 1997– Director of the Transdanubian Research Institute (TRI) of the Centre for Regional Studies, HAS, Pécs
– 2002 Full-time Professor at the University of Pecs, Faculty of Liberal Arts, Department of Political Science
Specialized professional competence: Regional administration, local governments, local politics, regional policy


4. Teaching activity

- Professor at University of Pecs, Departement of Political Science
- Leader of Multidisciplinary PhD programme (territorial and local governments and local communities) at Faculty of Liberal Arts, University of Pecs
- Lecturer of PhD programme at Faculty of Economics, University of Pecs


5. Specialized professional competence

Regional administration, local governments, local politics, regional policy


6. Professional membership

- Hungarian Association of Political Science,
- Committee of Public Administration of HAS, Committee of regional Science of HAS
- International Geographical Union Commission on Geography and Administration
- Regional Science Association
- Hungarian Association of Regional Science
- Standing Committee of Social Sciences, ESF


7. Participation in the international programmes:

- G-Force- 6th Framework programme, leadpartner University of West-England Birmingen, 2006-2008
- EU-Dimensions- ( Local Dimensions of a Wider European Neighbourhood…)(EU keretprogram 2006-2008.
- Study on the Potential and Needs of the New Member States. EC, DG Regio 2005
- Study on Territorial Cooperation and transnational cooperation programmes within Structural Funds. EC, 2005, 2006.
- Regional scenarios and processes related to the ESDP and EU cohesion policy, ESPON 3.2 project- 2004-2006, European Committee.
- ADAPT (EU enlargement and multi-levelled governing in the European Regional and Environmental Policy: the models of the systematic learning, adaptation and europanization in the cohesion countries (Greece, Ireland and Portugal) and warnings for the new member states (Hungary and Poland). 2001-2004., EU 5th Framework Programme European Council Research Directorate.
- Decentralisation in Croatia, Soros Foundation, Open Society Institute, 2001
- NEI Training of Regional Development Managers (Phare HU–9705–0204), 2000.
- European regional development and cohesion policy (IB JEP–13019–98), 1999–2000. TEMPUS JEP
- Socially sustainable cities. UNESCO-MOST, 1998
- Training managers in regional development and European co-operations (S JEP–09836–95) 1996–1998.TEMPUS SJEP
- Reform of the Hungarian Regional Development Fund. Transformation of the regional development incentive system in Hungary. (HU 92100172–173) 1996–1997. Phare Regional Development Programme for Hungary
- Strong and weak sides of the Hungarian regional policy and Regional Development Fund (HU 92100170) 1995–1996. Phare Regional Development Programme for Hungary


8. Major International Research Projects

– Governance for Sustainability: G-FORS, (EU FP 6, 028501), 6th Framework programme, leadpartner: IRS Germany, 2006-2008
– Local Dimensions of a Wider European Neighbourhood: EUDIMENSIONS, (EU FP 6, 028804), 6th Framework programme, leadpartner: Landeshauptstadt Hannover, 2006-2008
– Regional scenarios and processes related to the ESDP and EU cohesion policy, (060/2004), ESPON 3.2 project 2004-2006, European Committee.
– ADAPT (EU enlargement and multi-levelled governing in the European Regional and Environmental Policy: the models of the systematic learning, adaptation and europanization in the cohesion countries (Greece, Ireland and Portugal) and warnings for the new member states (Hungary and Poland). EU 5th Framework Programme, 2001-2004., European Council Research Directorate.
– NEI Training Regional Development Professionals (H 9705–0204), 2000.
– European regional development and cohesion policy (IB JEP–13019–98), TEMPUS JEP, 1999–2000.
– Socially sustainable cities. UNESCO-MOST, 1998
– Training managers in regional development and European cooperations (S JEP–09836–95).1996–1998.
– TEMPUS SJEP, Reform of the Hungarian Regional Development Fund. Transformation of the regional development incentive system in Hungary. (HU 92100172–173), 1996–1997. Phare Regional Development Programme for Hungary
– Strong and weak sides of the Hungarian regional policy and Regional Development Fund (HU 92100170), 1995–1996. Phare Regional Development Programme for Hungary


9. International conferences

– Planning Theory in Practice, konferencia, Torino 1986.
– Tagung der Kommunalwissenschaftlichen Arbeitsgemeinschaft, Graz, 1991.
– Conference of IGU Commission on Geography and Administration, Montpellier 1993.
– Europa – Forum, Neumarkt, A. 1993.
– Developmental Issues of the Regions of V-4 Countries, Internationale Workshop, Smolenice, Slovakia, 1994,
– Lectures about Hungarian local government system, State University of New Jersey, Rutgers, Center for Russian, Central and East European Studies, New Brunswick, USA, 1995.
– New Europe: Images of the Democratic Order, symposium sponsored by Volkswagen Stiftung, Wroclav, Poland 1996.
– Föderalismus und Dezentralisation in Mittel-Ost Europa, konferencia, Marshall Center, Garmish-Partenkirchen, Germany 1996.
– The Hungarian Local Governments. Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Sofia Loka, Slovenia, 1997
– The new order of the regional policy in Hungary: aims, actors, means. Athen, Greece, 1997.
– The Changing Role of Subnational Government in Hungary, Beer Sheba, 1998. Israel
– The new institutional order of regional policy in Hungary, Volkswagen Stiftung, Warsaw, Poland, 1998
– Most Programme of UNESCO, Capetown, South Africa 1998.
– Gegenwartige Lage und Zukunft der territorialen Selbstverwaltungen in Ungarn. Universität Erfurt, Germany, 1998
– The Hungarian regional policy. East-West Institute, Kiev, Community and regional development in Ukrania, 1999
– Partnership Institutions within Hungarian Public administration system corporativism in the spirit of co-ordination and flexibility, Bern, IGU Conference, Swiss, 1999.
– IRS Workshop on regionalisation processes Berlin, Germany, 2000
– Eine Bilanz der politischen und wirtschaftlichen transformation in Ungarn, Volkshochschule, Fellbach, Germany, 2001
– Emerging Governance Structures in Hungary. Workshop, Freie Unierstitat, Berlin, Germany, 2001,
– Partnership or elitism. The regional development councils in the reality. RSA conference, Gdansk, 2001,
– A területi hatalommegosztás dilemmái. Csíkszereda, II. Székelyföld konferencia, Romania, 2001.
– The challenges of regional development in public administration. NISPACee, Cracow, Poland, 2002.
– The institutional adaptation problems of Hungarian regional policy. RSA conference, Aix-an Provance, France, 2002
– The decentralisation process in Croatia. OSI, Croatia, Zágráb, 2002
– Institutions and actors in Hungarian regional policy. ADAPT-programme, Brussels, 2002
– Learning process of public administration in Hungarian regional policy. ADAPT programme, Budapest, Hungary, 2003.
– Regionalism: Options and Scenarios for Hungary. 51. International Conference of Americanist’s, Santiago de Chile, 2003
– Why do institutions matter? External Pressures and Domestic Public (Regional and Environmental) Policy Transformation in Hungary and Poland. co- authors: Bernadette Connaughton, Dr Malgorzata Czernielewska, Dr. Leeda Demetropoulou, Dr. Christos Paraskevopoulos, Uppsala, Sweden, ECPR, 2004,
– Shaping regions in Hungary, CEPSA conference, Hungary, Budapest, 2004
– Challenges of regional policy and responses of traditional public administration in Central-East- European countries. 8. International Research Symposium on Public Management, Budapest, 2004
– The chances and the future of regionalisation in Hungary, Pécs, 1st DRC (Danube Rectors Conference) Summer School, 2004
– A pilot region: South Transdanubia. Hungarian Regions Week at the Committee of the Regions, Brussels, 2005
– Regionalism and transition, policy paradox in Hungary. Multi-level Governance in Europe, Connex conference (Network of Excellence 6th Framework), Athen, 2005
– Europeanization and two phases of regionalism in Hungary. RSA International Conference, 2005. Aalborg.
– The new scene of politics in Hungary: the region. ECPR conference, Budapest, 2005.
– The shaping regions in Hungary. European Week of Regions and Cities, Brussels, 2005, 10-13 october, DG Regio- COR
– Europeanised regional policy and national administration. How does Hungary fit?. International Workshop Transatlantic Dialoges II. University of Guadalajara- Leibniz Institut für Regionalentwicklung und Strukturplanung Guadalajara, Mexico, 2006
– Middle East Technical University. Regional Development and Governance Symposium. Region-building in Hungary, the example of South-Transdanubia., 2006. Ankara
– Does regionalism come to a deadlock in Central and Eastern Europe. RSA Annual conference, Lisbon, 2007, aprilis 3.
– Regionalism: options and scenarios for Hungary. Mexico, Cuernavaca, október 31. 2007. 3. Congreso Internacional de Historia Económica, Universidad Autonóma del Estado de Morelos
– Hungary’s regional structures: from setting up to reform. Ecole Normale Superiure, Lyon, 2007, november 29.
– The new scene of the politics, the region. L’Europe centrale dans la dynamique européenne. CEFRES (Centre francais de recherche en sciences sociales), 2008. 17-18 March, Pague


10. Awards

Junior Scientists' Award of Hungarian Academy of Sciences, in 1982, 1987
Holder of Széchenyi scholarship 1997-2001
Scientific Award of City Council of Pecs, 2001
Award of Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 2002
Pro Civitate award of City of Pécs, 2004.


11. Language proficiency

German, English



12. Publications


8 books, 16 editions, 250 articles

Some of the publications in foreign languages:

- Razvitie hozajstvovennorukovodajsčej roli sovetov v Vengrii. In: Territorial'nye aspekty v upravlenii socialisticeskoj ekonomikoj. Red.: Horváth, Gy. Pécs: Centr po izučeniu regional'nogo razvitia Vengerskoj akademii nauk, 1984. 97–130. p.

- The reform tendencies in the local regional management and regional policy in Hungary. Planning theory and practice. In: La teoria nelle practiche di plianificazione. Papers. vol. 1. Torino: Politecnico di Torino, 1986. 235–265. p. Társszerző: Horváth Gy.

- Zusammenhänge zwischen der Entwicklung des ungarischen Ratesystems und der Regionalpolitik. = Die Verwaltung, 1986. 1. 101–116. p.

- Local influences on international relations in Hungary. = International Social Science Journal, 117. 1988. Aug. 399–406. p.

- Chance of Local Independence in Hungary. Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1988. 25 p. (Discussion Papers, 6.)

- Local power and local governments. In: Regional Policy and Local Governments. Ed.: Horváth, Gy. Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1991. 61–69. p.

- Rechtlich-institutionelle Rahmenbedingung der Selbstverwaltung in Ungarn. In: Alle Macht nach unten? Regionen und Gemeinden gestalten die neuen demokratien Europas. Hrsg.: Steiner, M., Hubert, I., Marko, J. Graz: Leykam, 1992. 105–114. p.

- Problémes de structure des pouvoirs publics en Hongrie. = Bulletin de la Société Languedocienne de Géographie, 1993. 3–4. 123–133. p.

- The current problems of local–regional government in Hungary. In: Hungary: Society, State, Economy and Regional Structure in Transition. Ed.: Hajdú, Z. Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1993. 55–67. p.

- Die Integrationsprobleme der ungarischen Verwaltung. = Alles für Europa, 1993. 2. 12–15. p.

- The Basic Political and Structural Problems in the Working of Local Governments in Hungary. Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1993. 36 p. (Discussion Papers, 14.)

- The government and local authorities. In: Balance. The Hungarian Government 1990-1994. Eds.: Gombár, Cs., Hankiss, E., Lengyel, L., Várnai, Gy. Bp.: Korridor, 1994. 234–251. p. Társszerző: Enyedi Gy.

- Pravitelstvo i organy mestnogo samoupravlenia. In: Balans. Pravitelstvo vengerszkoj respubliki 1990-1994. Red.: Gombár, Cs., Hankiss, E. Lengyel, L. Várnai, Gy. Bp.: Korridor, 1994. 278–299. p. Társszerző: Enyedi Gy.

- The rebirth of local government in Hungary. In: Local Government and Market Decent-ralization: Experiences in Industrialized, Developing and Former Eastern Bloc Countries. Ed.: Bennett, R. J. Tokio: U. N. University Press, 1994. 76–92. p. Társszerző: Enyedi Gy.

- Hungarian local government: a permanent reform? In: European Challenges and Hungarian Responses in Regional Policy. Eds.: Hajdú, Z., Horváth, Gy. Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1994. 349–359. p. Társszerző: Hajdú Z.

- Regional policy and regional administration in Hungary. In: Regions – Self-Government – European Integration. Ed.: Faltan, L. Bratislava: Institute of Sociology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 1995. 215–224. p.

- The government's gestures and strictures in the process of decentralization. In: Question Marks: The Hungarian Government 1994–1995. Eds: Gombár, Cs., Hankiss, E., Lengyel L., Várnai Gy. Bp.: Korridor, 1995. 331–351. p.

- Voprosü, voprosü...Pravitel'stvo Vengerskoj Respubliki 1994–1995. Red.: Gombar, Cs., Hankiss, E., Lengyel, L., Varnai Gy. Bp.: Korridor, 1995. 399–423. p.

- The new order of the regional policy in Hungary: aims, actors, means. In: Athens Internationals Conference Urban Regional Environmental Planning and Informatics to Planning in an Era of Transition. Proceedings, 22–24th October 1997 Athens. Eds.: T. Sellis, D. Georgoulis. Athens: National Technical University of Athens Faculty of Architecture Dept of Urban and Regional Planning, 1997. 32–38. p.

- The role of local governments in the process of state decentralization in Hungary. In: Emerging Conceptions of Democracy in Transition Europe. International Symposium Materials University of Wrocław and International Centre at Tübingen. Eds.: T. Łoś-Nowak, D. Armstrong. Wrocław: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego, 1997.187–204. p.

- Relación entre el desarrollo territorial y la administración pública. In: Autonomías y desarrollo. III. Seminario hispano – húngaro sobre desequilibrios regionales. Coord.: Szörényiné Kukorelli I., J. Sánchez. Győr – Kecskemét, 19–24 de abril de 1993. Pécs: MTA Regionális Kutatások Központja, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Destancia Departamento de Geografía, 1997. 105–110. p.

- Ungarn. Eine erste Bilanz des politischen und wirtschaftlichen Transfor-mationsprozesses. = Der Bürger im Staat (Ostmitteleuropa), 47. 1997. 3. 181–187. p.

- The changing role of subnational government in Hungary. In: Geopolitics and Globalization in a Postmodern World. Haifa and Beer Sheba, January 25–31, 1998. Conference Abstracts. Ed.: Garrick, N. Haifa: University of Haifa Department of Geography, 1998. 61–63. p.

- Pálné Kovács Ilona – Berényi Sándor: Institutional system of regional development. In: Regional Development in Hungary. Ed.: N. Hörcher. Budapest: Hungarian Institute for Town and Regional Planning, 1998. 27–38. p.

- Dilemma of territorial organisation of public administration and control of regional policy in Hungary. In: Local Development adn Public Administration in Transition. Eds.: M. Barlow, Lengyel, R. Welch. Szeged: József Attila University, 1998. 37–49. p.

- Gegenwartige Lage und Zukunft der territorialen Selbstverwaltungen in Ungarn. Regionen anstatt oder über Komitate? Dilemmas der Regionalentwicklung in Ungarn. In: Regio ’98. Internationale Konferenz in Mariánské Lázné und Erfurt. Section C. Regionalisierung in den Ländern der Visegrád-Gruppe sowie in Slowenien und Georgien. Hrsg.: E. Trützschler v. Falkenstein. Erfurt: Universität Erfurt, 1998. 65–86. p.

- Regional development and local government in Hungary. In: Regional Processes and Spatial Structures in Hungary in the 1990’s. Ed.: Z. Hajdú. Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 1999. 53–76. p.

- The new institutional order of regional policy in Hungary. In: The Challenge of Regional Policies. Actors and Institutions on the Local and Regional Level in Post-Socialist Europe. Ed.: M. Tatur. Eschborn: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammen-arbeit GmbH, 1999. 25–35. p.

- Dilemmas of regional division and the distribution of authority in Hungary-South Transdanubian parallelisms. In: Geographic Issues of the Development of a Rising Region. Eds.: N. Pap, I. Szász, J.Tóth. Pécs: Janus Pannonius University Faculty of Sciences Institute of Geograpy, The Regional Committee of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences at Pécs, 1999. 45–55. p.

- Administrative aspects of the development of South Transdanubia. In: Drava-Valley – A Scene for International Development and Cooperation. Ed.: Halasi-Kun, G.J. Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 2001. 324–351. p. (Pollution and Water Resources Columbia University Seminar Proceedings, Vol. 31. 1999–2000).

- Regional Development and Governance in Hungary. Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 2001. 41 p. (Discussion Papers, 35.).

- Regional’na politika ta ii institucii v Ugorscsini. In: Instituti ta instrumenti rozvitku teritorij. Na sljahu do evropejs’kih principiv. Red.: S. Maksimenko. Kiiv: Kiivs’kij centr Institutu Shid-Zahid, Milenium, 2001. 149–157. p.

- Political challenges of regionalism in Hungary. In: Role of the Regions in the Enlarging European Union. Ed.: Z. Gál. Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 2001. 137–145. p. (Discussion Papers. Special).

- Partnership or elitism? The Hungarian development councils in reality. In: Regional Transitions: European Regions and the Challenges of Development, Integration and Enlargement. International Conference 15–18 September 2001. Eds.: L. Bibby-Larsen, S. Hardy, F. House. Seaford: Regional Studies Association, 2001. 18–19. p.

- The chances for regionalism in Hungary. In: Federalism and Decentralization. Perspectives for the Transformation Process in Eastern and Central Europe. Eds.: J. Rose, J.Ch. Traut. Hamburg: LIT, 2001. 217–234. p. (George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies, 2.).

- Vozmožnosti regionalizma v Vengrii. In: Federalism i decentralizacija. Perspectivi processa preobrazovanij v Central’noj i Vosztočnoj Evrope. Red.: Rose, Ju., Ch. Traut. Moskva: Naučnaja Kniga, 2001. 345–371. p.

- Hungary of the regions: utopia or ultimatum? In: Hungarian Spaces and Places: Platterns of Transition. Eds. Gy. Barta, É.G. Fekete, I. Kukorelli Szörényiné, J. Timár. Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, 2005. 92–105. p.

- Il sistema di governo locale in Ungheria prima e dopo il cambiamento del sistema politico. – Ricerche di Storia Sociale e Religiosa, 34. 2005. 68. (Luglio – Dicembre) 169–185. p.

- Governance in regional and environmental policies in Hungary: challenges of Europeanisation and adaptation. In: Adapting to EU Multi-Level Governance. Regional and Environmental Policies in Cohesion and CEE Countries. Eds. Ch. J. Paraskevopoulos, P. Getimis, N. Rees. Aldershot: Ashgate, 2006. 107–135. p. Co-authors: Futó Péter, Fleischer Tamás

- Shaping meso-level governance in Hungary. – Hrvatska Javna Uprava, 7. 2007. 1. 117–138. p.

- The two phases of region-building in Hungary. The case of South-Transdanubia. In: Regional Decentralization in Central and Eastern Europe. Ed. Pálné Kovács I. Pécs: University of Pécs Department of Political Studies, 2007.121–138. p. (Political Studies of Pécs, 4.)

- Fragile structures of public administration in Southeast-Europe. In: Southeast-Europe: State Borders, Cross-Border Relations, Spatial Structures. Eds. Z. Hajdú, I. Illés, Z. Raffay. Pécs: Centre for Regional Studies, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 2007. 99–118. p.

- Region-building in Hungary – the case of South-Transdanubia = Macaristan’da bölge inşasi: güney Trans Tuna bölgesi örnegi. In: Bölgesel kalkinma ve yönetişim sempozyumu 7–8 Eylül, 2006. Ankara: ODTÜ Mimarlik Fakültesi Amfisi, 2007. 73–91., 93–110. p.

- Disintegrated (or fragmented) public administration and regional development policy in Eastern Europe. In: Overcoming Fragmentation in Southeast Europe. Spatial Development Trends and Integration Potential. Eds. P. Getimis, G. Kafkalas. Aldershot: Ashgate, 2007. 75–100. p. (Urban and Regional Planning and Development Series)