Your primary research domain focuses on how inequalities shape the socio-economic development of regions and their consequences—economic, social, and political. Could you tell us more about your main research field and explain the conceptual framework that you use?
My primary research focuses on comparative regional studies within the EU, addressing why some regions flourish while others stagnate or decline. Using a conceptual framework grounded in ‘regional competitiveness’, the ‘geography of discontent’, and the ‘development trap’, I explore how regional inequalities impact regional competitiveness, as well as affect social cohesion and political stability. The ‘geography of discontent’ and ‘development trap’ concepts reflect the spatial dynamics of dissatisfaction, driven by relative economic decline and perceptions of being left behind. These conditions erode trust in institutions and fuel support for populist movements. My work aims to provide novel insight for place-sensitive policies that address these inequalities, foster resilience, and unlock regional potential.
On ‘regional competitiveness’ within the EU, my research - that led to the publication of the co-authored article ‘In search of key performance indicators of regional competitiveness in the European Union’ published in the Journal of Regional Science - identified five key performance indicators (KPIs) that significantly impact regional competitiveness in the European Union: knowledge workers, employment rate, labour productivity, potential market size, and the NEET rate (youth not in education, employment, or training). Notably, three of these KPIs align with the labour market efficiency pillar, highlighting the critical role of human resources in driving regional performance.
Your co-authored article ‘Resilience and vulnerability of regional labour markets: principal component analysis of labour market efficiency in the EU’, published in Regional Studies, explores the significance of resilience and the related concept of vulnerability for labour market efficiency in the EU. Based on your findings, what factors contribute to making labour markets more resilient? Are there notable differences across the EU?
Our research highlights that employment rate and labour productivity are key resilience factors, while gender balance in employment and the NEET rate are critical vulnerability factors. Capitalist regions demonstrate more resilient labour markets than post-socialist regions (all from ‘Widening countries’), with post-socialist regions without capital cities emerging as the most vulnerable in the EU. Regions with capital cities often exhibit stronger resilience due to factors such as higher education levels and better infrastructure, though challenges like housing insecurity can mitigate these advantages. The spatial clustering of regions into resilience and vulnerability profiles, provided in the mentioned paper, underscores the importance of tailored, place-based strategies to address specific regional challenges. Therefore, I highly appreciate the EUI Widening Europe Programme, which addresses specific regional challenges within the EU and helps mitigate regional inequalities in research performance among Widening countries by providing diverse research opportunities for scholars from these regions.
Your co-authored article ‘Transformation of trade flows between the EU and Ukraine in the conditions of increasing security risks’, published in the Journal of European Economy, examines how trade flows between the European Union and Ukraine changed in the context of increased security risks caused by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Could you share with us the main findings?
Our research highlights how Russia's war against Ukraine has profoundly reshaped Ukraine's foreign trade, particularly with the European Union, now Ukraine’s primary trade partner due to the blockade of seaports and reliance on EU borders as its main connection to the world. The Association Agreement and the free trade agreement have strengthened economic ties, modernised Ukrainian industries, and aligned them with European standards. However, challenges persist, including a deepening trade deficit in goods with high added value, infrastructure destruction, skilled labour loss, and rising logistics costs. While the EU has eased export procedures and provided financial and technical support, the path forward requires mutual efforts to address issues like product standards, intellectual property protection, and competition rules. Despite obstacles, EU-Ukraine cooperation remains crucial for Ukraine's economic recovery and long-term development.
You are the Principal Investigator and coordinator of the Horizon Europe project BRRIDGE which focuses on enhancing research capabilities in democracy and policy at Matej Bel University as well as more broadly. What is the main project output so far? How will BRRIDGE contribute to enriching the democratic landscape in Slovakia and in the broader European context?
The BRRIDGE project, financed through Horizon Europe Twinning initiative, connects Matej Bel University, a Slovak public university in a region with low R&I levels, with three leading European institutions: Central European University, the European University Institute, and the National University of Ireland Galway. BRRIDGE addresses contemporary challenges to democracy shaped by technological, cultural, governance, and inequality shifts. One notable output is the Volebný Kompas (Voting Compass) Voting Advice Application (VAA), developed with the EUI for the 2023 Slovak snap parliamentary elections, which attracted over 200,000 users. Volebný Kompas achieved significant media outreach, with widespread national and regional coverage, generated more than 150k interactions on social media, and was also shared by the Slovak President, amplifying its impact on democratic engagement. This scientific VAA produced two unique datasets: voter responses on 39 key issues (134,699 entries) and the positions of 11 political parties on same issues, offering an in-depth view of Slovakia’s political landscape during a transformative election. These openly accessible datasets enrich research on post-socialist democracies and support evidence-based policymaking in Slovakia and the broader European context.
Kamila Borsekova is Associate Professor and Head of the Research and Innovation Centre at the Faculty of Economics of Matej Bel University. Her research focuses on urban and regional development and policy, resilience, inequality, and comparative regional studies. She was a Fernand Braudel Fellow at the EUI Department of Economics in October 2024. During her EUI fellowship, funded by the EUI Widening Europe Programme, Kamila continued her research on regional inequalities, consulted EUI academics on her ERC project proposal, and delivered an invited lecture with Professor Martin Kahanec at the Robert Schuman Centre on ‘Decision Tree Insights into Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Convergence in EU Labour Markets’.