We analyse and support regional development – across Europe and in our regional context.
You can find our recent publications: ResearchGate
Staff
Research
We focus on three research areas that that are closely interlinked:
Economic and spatial developments are shaped by an interplay between globally networked and regionally rooted actors and processes. We aim to gain a better understanding of this interplay: we are researching regionally rooted value chains, for example in the food and textile industries. Our geographical focus is particularly on the Alpine region and border regions. Methodologically, we combine quantitative regional statistics with qualitative network analysis.
Selected project references:
Regional value creation in border regions on the example of the food industry (2024-2026, Funding: German Research Foundation)
AlpTextyles (2022-25, INTERREG Alpine Space Programme)
Krux – Culture in rural areas between endogenous and exogenous factors (2023-2026, Funding: Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture)
Selected publications:
Sommer, C., Lambracht, M., & Chilla, T. (2026): Bridging the local–global divide: strategic embedding in the alpine wool sector. Geografiska Annaler: Series B, Human Geography, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/04353684.2026.2616458
Wilhelm, C. &, Chilla, T. (2023): The regional dimension in GPN – Mapping value creation and governance of the Bavarian beer sector, Geoforum 145, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2023.103828
Chilla, T., Fink, B., Balling, R., Reitmeier, S., & Schober, K. (2020): The EU Food Label ‘Protected Geographical Indication’: Economic Implications and Their Spatial Dimension. Sustainability, 12(14), 5503. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12145503
Our focus within Border Studies is on processes of cross-border integration from both conceptual and empirical perspectives. In particular, we analyse the functional and institutional dimensions of cross-border interdependence and cooperation. In doing so, we employ both quantitative and qualitative methodological approaches to understand border regions in the context of spatial integration, resilience and governance. This encompasses topics such as demographic trends, economic interdependence and cross-border cooperation.
Selected research projects:
BorderData (Bayerisch-Tschechische Hochschulagentur | 2024-26
CrossGov – Governance mechanisms for cross-border functional areas (ESPON |2024-26)
Cohesion in Border Regions – CoBo (BMBF | 2021-23, with Hochschule St. Gallen
Secected publications:
Paul, H., Chilla, T., & Sommer, C. (2026): Economy and Border Regions – A Research Gap? Results from a Scoping Review. Journal of Borderlands Studies, 41, 215–233, doi.org/10.1080/08865655.2025.2539973
Hippe, S., Bertram, D., & Chilla, T. (2024). Convergence and resilience in border regions. European Planning Studies, 32, 186–207, doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2023.2170214
Chilla, T., & Heugel, A. (2022). Cross-border Commuting Dynamics: Patterns and Driving Forces in the Alpine Macro-region. Journal of Borderlands Studies, 37, 17–35, doi.org/10.1080/08865655.2019.1700822
Within the field of Mountain Studies, our focus is on socio-economic analyses of the Alpine region, taking into account its specific topographical and structural characteristics. Using quantitative analyses, including GIS-based approaches, we examine, among others, the settlement pattern and accessibility. We also implement research projects on specific economic sectors such as the Alpine textile industry.
Selected projects:
Alpine Spatial Development Perspective ASDP (BMWSB/Alpine Convention | 2022-28)
ESPON InTerAlp Interface Territories across the Alpine region (ESPON | 2024-25 | Lead Partner)
AlpTextyles (INTERREG Alpine Space | 2022-25)
Selected publications:
Bertram, D., & Chilla, T. (2023). Polycentricity and accessibility in mountain areas: the Alpine case. European Planning Studies, 31(12), 2425–2445. doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2022.2145874
Lambracht, M. & T. Chilla (2025): Topography and Socioeconomic Development: The Example of the European Alps. Mountain Research and Development 45 (4), R9-R19. doi.org/10.1659/mrd.2024.00050
Bertram, D., T. Chilla & U. Schirpke (2025): Interface areas in the European Alps: Defining functional regions between mountains and lowlands. Mountain Research and Development 45 (2), R27-R40. doi.org/10.1659/mrd.2024.00049
- Regionale Wertschöpfung in Grenzräumen am Beispiel der Lebensmittelwirtschaft (DFG | 2024-2026)
- RABE (Interreg Bayern – Österreich | 2024-2026)
- Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development (Working Group of the Alpine Convention | 2024-2030)
- ASTER (INTERREG Alpine Space | 2024-27)
- Kultur in ländlichen Räumen zwischen endogenen und exogenen Faktoren – Krux (BLE | 2023-2026)
- ESPON InTerAlp Interface Territories across the Alpine region (ESPON | 2024-25 | Lead Partner)
- AlpTextyles (INTERREG Alpine Space | 2022-25)
- Regionalräte (i.A. des Auswärtigen Amts | 2023)
- Mobiles grenzüberschreitendes Arbeiten: Neue Perspektiven für die Grenzregionen nach der Corona-Pandemie, Workshop-Dokumentation (i.A. des Bundesministeriums des Innern und für Heimat | 2023)
- Cohesion in Border Regions – CoBo (BMBF | 2021-23, with Hochschule St. Gallen
- Regionalproduktspezifisches Landmanagement in Stadt-Land-Partnerschaften am Beispiel der Metropolregion Nürnberg – ReProLa (BMBF | 2018-23)
- Innerdeutsche Vernetzung von Grenzregionen, Workshop-Dokumentation (i.A. des Bundesministeriums des Innern und für Heimat | 2022)
- 9th Report on the State of the Alps (RSA9): Alpine Towns. (On behalf of the Swiss presidency of the Alpine Convention | 2021-2022)
- Luigi (INTERREG Alpine Space on behalf of alp Bayern |2021-22)
- Studie zur innerstaatlichen Vernetzung von Grenzregionen, (i.A. des Bundesministeriums des Innern und für Heimat | 2020)
- Interreg Kleinprojekt – Grundlagenermittlung und Prozessbegleitung für integrierte Grenzraumentwicklung in den Euregios via salina und ZWK in Zusammenarbeit mit Euregio Inntal und Regionalmanagement Schwaz Evs46 (siehe bspw. Karten in der Euregio-Strategie der Euregio via salina) (2020)
- AlpBioEco (INTERREG Alpine Space | 2018-2019)
- Cross-border mobility in the Alpine Region (WP2) [Alpine Region Preparatory Action Fund] , 2018.
- ESPON Alps2050 – Common Spatial Perspectives for the Alpine Area. Towards a Common Vision (2017/18, Lead Partner)
- ESPON ACTAREA: Thinking and planning in areas of territorial cooperation (with Spatial Foresight and University of Geneva, 2016/17)
- Entwicklungsgutachten für den bayerisch-tschechischen Grenzraum mit Grontmij München u.a., i.A. des Bayerischen Heimatministeriums (2015/16)
- Räumliches Monitoring zum Siemens-Campus in Erlangen (mit Prof. Glasze; i.A. Siemens AG, seit 2014)
Projects
For an exhaustive overview of our projects (including concluded ones) please follow this link.
News from our team
You can find a complete overview of our news here.
