The direct involvement of practitioners from relevant institutions and stakeholders in the research process is a key feature of the RuDI project. The International Expert Group (IEG) is seen as an instrument to strenghten linkages with key actors in rural development programmes and stakeholder representatives. This includes actors of rural development policy design and implementation from national, regional and local level, practitioners, and academics. The IEG meets twice during the project period, and is invited to contribute through the RuDI Guest Forum discussions.

 

Marielle Berriet-Solliec				INRA Dijon, France
Detlev Boettcher				German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), Germany
Guido Castellano				European Commission, DG Agriculture and Rural Development (resigned due to change of Unit)
Dorota Nadolna				European Commission, DG Agriculture and Rural Development
Jesús G. Regidor				Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Spain (first half of the project)
Kenneth Thomson				University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom
Raffaele Trapasso				OECD Territorial Reviews Division
Hannes Wimmer				European Evaluation Network for Rural Development (EENRD), Metis Consulting, Austria
Darko Znaor				Independent consultant on sustainable rural development, Croatia
Konstadinos Mattas				Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki, Greece