<p style="text-align: justify;"><em>Shared Services, Shared Opportunities: New Models of Public Sector Collaboration and Partnership</em></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The International Centre for Local and Regional Development (ICLRD) and the Centre for Cross Border Studies (CCBS) will be holding our joint annual conference at the Killyhevlin Hotel, Enniskillen on 29-30 January 2015. The conference, <em>Shared Services, Shared Opportunities: New Models of Public Sector Collaboration and Partnership</em>, is focused upon a critical component of the public sector reform agendas on the island of Ireland, and is particularly topical in light of recent and imminent changes in the structure of local government in both jurisdictions.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">A range of speakers representing central and local government, academia, the private sector and civil society organisations, from Ireland, the UK and continental Europe, will ensure that shared services is explored from a variety of different perspectives. The opportunities for cross-border collaboration in this area will also be examined.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The conference is the culmination of a two-year programme of work involving the ICLRD, CCBS and other partner organisations under the INICCO II/CroSPlaN II Programme, sponsored by the Special EU Programmes Body under INTERREG IVA. Several significant publications emanating from this programme will be formally launched at the conference, which will also provide an opportunity to showcase and explore other aspects of the work.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The draft conference programme can be found <a href="http://dev.iclrd.org/iclrd2/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/D_ICLRD-CCBS_Conference_Programme_2015-1.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The delegate rates and conference booking form can be downloaded <a href="http://dev.iclrd.org/iclrd2/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Booking_Form_ICLRDCCBS_Conference_2015-6-1.doc" target="_blank">here</a>. 