The potential of new data sources for border-related knowledge gaps (BorderData)

The BorderData project takes up two important research debates and brings them together. Firstly, digitalization and ‘datafication’ in recent years have created entirely new possibilities for indicator-based spatial analysis. The quantity and diversity of so-called ‘new data sources’ has increased enormously. Secondly, cross-border interdependence has received increasing attention, also due to COVID-19 pandemics. The knowledge base in key areas of action is not considered sufficient – for example in the areas of labour markets, transport flows, or mobility; and cross-border interlinkages are rather limited. This has severely hampered border-regional development in recent years.

The linking of these two research debates holds great potential, especially at the present time: the project explores the new possibilities for improving the knowledge base on border  regions – therefore we aim at answering following research question: What are the potentials of new data sources offered for cross-border regional analyses?

BorderData project has three main objectives:

1. Internationalisation in research – building and expanding the Czech-Bavarian cooperation beyond border-proximate institutions to unlock new pathways in scientific international collaboration

2. Methodological dimension – strives for exploration of the potential of new data for border regions, and BorderData project delves into new data sources across various socio-economic domains, an underexplored area due to privacy regulations, data costs, and quality concerns

3. Content dimension – improving the knowledge on border regional development; the project significantly enhances knowledge about the border region and augments the data basis for practical actors, offering an innovative perspective on spatial monitoring, increasing understanding of cross-border interrelations, and benefiting inhabitants and stakeholders in economic development.