In 1998 NEURUS, the Network for European - US Regional and Urban Studies, was founded by regional science related departments of six US and European universities:

 

 

Under the umbrella of NEURUS a student exchange program was created in the beginning of 1999. NEURUS - Student Exchange is a project which establishes a joint, year long program of study in comparative US - EC urban and regional research topics for graduate students. It combines a number of elements that are intended to support the student`s research progress:

Are you interested in:
 
What cities are doing to combat poverty and create jobs in depressed neighborhoods?
How to manage urban growth, reduce metropolitan sprawl, and increase the quality of life in urban areas?
What cities and regions are doing to improve air and water quality through land use management practices and transportation policy?
How trade agreements, the construction of common markets, and the rise of foreign direct investment are affecting the economic competitiveness of cities and regions?
Approaches to environmental cooperation among different levels of government?
The effects of global economic restructuring on urban and regional economies?
Regional approaches to disaster mitigation and response?
How demographic and economic trends affect the quantity, mix, and distribution of affordable housing and diversity of neighborhoods?

Would your education and career benifit from:
 
An opportunity to compare approaches in your home country with those of the US?
An opportunity to observe, first-hand, solutions to urban and regional development challenges in another country?
An opportunity to conduct your own in-depth research project in a region of another country with the guidance of local faculty and policymakers with expertise and interest in your topic?
An opportunity to travel, experience a foreign culture, and meet other European and American students studying the same issues and preparing for the same types of careers?
   

More information:
   
  Coordinator of the NEURUS-Programme at the Humboldt-University
 Prof. Dr. Elmar Kulke

Information:
 Dr. Peter Dannenberg
 

 Program Overview

Who:

  • Students from six universities in Europe and the United States are eligible for the exchange program.
  • 3 students from the Department of Geography, Humboldt University at Berlin.

What:

  • Introduction: long distance course (Internet) on US-regional development and regional policy.
  • Travel scholarship (ca.1.500 Euro) to support eligible case-study research project.
  • Students participate in a semester-long exchange, working closely with a faculty advisor on a thesis-type project.
  • Enroll and conduct research study at 1 of 3 top U.S. research universities.
  • Internship at U.S. case-study organization.

Eligible Case Study Projects:

  • Topics must treat a specific urban or regional issue of importance in U.S.
  • Topics to be interest to U.S. university faculty and U.S. internship organization.
  • Topics of comparative U.S. - EC importance recommended; innovative projects preferred.
  • Proposed field study component must be designed for completion within 1 semester.

When:

  • European students will participate in a long distance course at their home university (June/July)
  • European students will be hosted at U.S. universities in the winter term. (August-December)

Where:

Students at any of the participating universities in Europe can choose from among the three U.S. universities.

How:

  • Students apply to the program through their home university and select the host university that best matches their interests.
  • For an application you need a minimum TOEFL score between 550 and 600.