Professor Andres Rodriguez-Pose - Economic Geography, London School of Economics

Professor Susan Christopherson - Department of City and Regional Planning, Cornell University

Dr Jose Enrique Garcilazo - Head of Unit for Regional Growth and Policies, Regional Development Policy Division, OECD

Professor Philip McCann - University of Groningen and Specialist Adviser to European Commissioner for Regional Policy

Professor Mario Vale - Instituto de Geografia e Ordenamento do Territorio, University of Lisbon

Professor Ron Boschma - Director of Urban and Regional Research Centre Utrecht (UCU), University of Utrecht

Professor Markku Sotarauta - Dean of School of Management and Director of Sente, University of Tampere, Finland

Professor Robert Hassink - Economic Geography, University of Kiel, Germany

Professor Ivan Turok - Deputy Executive Director, Human Sciences Research Council, South Africa