ILS - INSTITUT FUR LANDES- UND STADTENTWICKLUNGSFORSCHUNG GGMBH

Their core work

ILS is a German non-profit research institute based in Dortmund that studies how cities and regions develop, with a focus on spatial planning, social cohesion, and territorial governance. Their applied research addresses how communities integrate newcomers, how rural areas can attract new generations, and how urban food systems can become more sustainable. They bridge urban and rural development questions, combining spatial analysis with social science methods to inform policy at local, regional, and European levels.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their early H2020 period (2015–2018), ILS focused on structural spatial questions — European cohesion policy, spatial justice, rural access to land, and how home-based work reshapes communities. From 2019 onward, their work shifted toward people-centered urban challenges: migrant youth integration, urban food systems, citizen science, and the social dimensions of arrival and belonging. The trajectory shows a clear move from macro-level territorial policy research toward applied, participatory work on inclusion and urban resilience.

ILS is moving toward participatory, community-level research on urban integration and sustainable food systems — expect them to seek projects combining citizen engagement with spatial planning.

How they like to work

ILS operates exclusively as a consortium partner, never as coordinator, which positions them as a reliable research contributor rather than a project driver. With 82 unique partners across 19 countries from just 6 projects, they work in large, diverse consortia (averaging ~14 partners per project). This breadth suggests they are valued for their specific spatial research expertise and are comfortable embedding within large international teams.

ILS has built an extensive European network of 82 unique partners across 19 countries through just 6 projects, indicating they consistently join broad, pan-European consortia. Their partnerships span academic institutions, planning authorities, and civil society organizations across Western and Central Europe.

What sets them apart

ILS occupies a distinctive niche at the intersection of spatial science and social inclusion — few research centres combine territorial development expertise with migration research and urban food systems work. Based in Dortmund, a post-industrial city undergoing transformation itself, they bring lived regional context to their research. Their non-profit status and consistent participant role make them a low-risk, high-credibility research partner for consortia needing German spatial planning expertise.

Highlights from their portfolio

• FoodE
  Their largest H2020 project (EUR 459K) and a pivot point — combining food systems with citizen science marks their shift toward participatory urban research.
• MIMY
  Demonstrates their growing expertise in migration and youth integration using multi-level analysis (micro, meso, macro), a methodological signature of the institute.
• RURALIZATION
  Their most policy-relevant project, directly addressing rural depopulation and access to farming — a high-priority topic for EU rural development policy.