# European Regional Science Association

> organisation involved in scholarly research

**Wikidata**: [Q74552200](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q74552200)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/european-regional-science-association

## Summary
The European Regional Science Association (ERSA) is a research institute based in Austria dedicated to scholarly research in the field of regional science. It functions as the "Home of Regional Science in Europe" and is an active member of the European Alliance for Social Sciences and Humanities.

## Key Facts
- **Common Name:** European Regional Science Association
- **Acronym:** ERSA
- **Type:** Research Institute / Scholarly Research Organization
- **Location:** Austria
- **Official Website:** https://ersa.org/
- **Motto:** "The Home of Regional Science in Europe"
- **Primary Field:** Regional Science
- **Membership:** European Alliance for Social Sciences and Humanities (EASSH)
- **ISNI:** 0000000106653000
- **VIAF ID:** 127602018
- **Library of Congress Authority ID:** n2004109254
- **Bibliothèque nationale de France ID:** 16073686c
- **IdRef ID:** 110498348
- **NL CR AUT ID:** ko2012727146
- **UIA Open Yearbook ID:** 1100019314
- **Yale LUX ID:** group/e4d76e0d-3fd2-4a29-b429-1d9fce75c8a1

## FAQs
### Q: What is the primary purpose of the European Regional Science Association?
A: ERSA is a research institute created specifically to conduct scholarly research. Unlike universities that balance teaching and research, the organization exists primarily to generate new knowledge in the field of regional science.

### Q: Where is the European Regional Science Association located?
A: The organization is based in Austria.

### Q: Is the European Regional Science Association part of any larger networks?
A: Yes, it is a member of the European Alliance for Social Sciences and Humanities (EASSH).

### Q: How is ERSA different from a think tank?
A: While think tanks primarily conduct policy-oriented research to influence government decisions, ERSA, as a research institute, focuses on fundamental scholarly inquiry and systematic investigation within regional science.

## Why It Matters
As a dedicated research institute, the European Regional Science Association serves as a specialized engine for discovery in regional science, free from the teaching obligations that characterize universities. By concentrating resources and talent purely on investigation, organizations like ERSA accelerate breakthroughs and provide spaces where researchers can pursue long-term, high-risk projects.

In the context of global challenges like economic competitiveness and regional development, ERSA represents critical infrastructure for advancing human knowledge. It functions as an operational entity conducting hands-on investigation rather than serving merely as a membership-based society, distinguishing it as a hub for active scientific progress in Europe.

## Notable For
- **Specialized Mandate:** Dedicated exclusively to research activities rather than hybrid functions like teaching.
- **European Integration:** Holds the official motto "The Home of Regional Science in Europe."
- **Broad Recognition:** Maintains extensive global identifiers across library systems (Library of Congress, BnF, VIAF, ISNI) and Wikipedia.
- **Alliance Membership:** Active participant in the European Alliance for Social Sciences and Humanities.
- **Operational Status:** Functions as a hands-on research body, distinct from scientific societies that primarily serve membership interests.

## Body

### Organizational Identity and Mission
The European Regional Science Association (ERSA) is an organization established for the primary purpose of conducting scholarly research. Identified by the acronym ERSA, the entity is classified formally as a research institute. This classification places it among organizations that exist specifically to generate new knowledge through systematic investigation, distinct from universities that combine research with teaching or companies that pursue research for commercial ends.

ERSA focuses its investigative efforts on **Regional Science**. This specific disciplinary interest defines the scope of its scholarly activities and its contribution to the broader scientific community.

### Location and Affiliations
The association is headquartered in **Austria**. It operates a primary web portal at `https://ersa.org/`, which serves as its digital interface for the public and researchers.

A significant aspect of the organization's standing in the academic community is its membership in the **European Alliance for Social Sciences and Humanities (EASSH)**. This affiliation connects ERSA with a broader network of organizations advocating for and conducting social science research across Europe.

### Bibliographic and Authority Records
ERSA maintains a robust presence in global knowledge systems, evidenced by its extensive cataloging across major libraries and authority databases. These identifiers validate the organization's standing as a distinct entity in the scholarly world:
*   **Library Systems:** It holds Authority ID `n2004109254` with the Library of Congress and ID `16073686c` with the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
*   **International Identifiers:** The organization is tracked under ISNI `0000000106653000` and VIAF ID `127602018`.
*   **Academic Databases:** It is indexed in the IdRef system (`110498348`) and the National Library of the Czech Republic (`ko2012727146`).
*   **Other Registries:** Additional records include UIA Open Yearbook ID `1100019314` and Yale LUX ID `group/e4d76e0d-3fd2-4a29-b429-1d9fce75c8a1`.

### Operational Nature
As a research institute, ERSA is differentiated from other types of scholarly organizations. It is an operational entity conducting hands-on investigation rather than a scientific society or learned society, which typically function as membership organizations. Furthermore, it is distinct from "think tanks" as its focus covers fundamental inquiry across its discipline rather than solely policy-oriented research intended to influence government. The organization is recognized across multiple language editions of Wikipedia, indicating its global relevance as a distinct organizational form.

## References

1. [Directory of Open Access Journals](http://openjournals.wu.ac.at/ojs/index.php/region/about/editorialPolicies#peerReviewProcess)
2. Virtual International Authority File
3. [EASSH Members](https://eassh.eu/Members)
4. Czech National Authority Database
5. [Source](https://www.narsc.org/newsite/supraregional-organizations/)
6. [Source](https://ersa.org/)
7. [Source](https://ersa.org/about-us/what-is-ersa/)