Experiences and challenges of cooperation in functional urban areas of voivodeship centres in Poland

Functional urban areas (FUA) are an important stakeholder in urban policy. They were constituted in the institutionalised form of the so-called “ITI unions” (associations or local government agreements) in the 2014–2020 EU perspective, as the main entities for the implementation of the cohesion policy instrument – integrated territorial investments (ITI). Monitoring the role, various aspects and challenges of cooperation is important from the viewpoint of the success of an effective FUA development policy. Research in the literature on cooperation in FUA focuses mainly on aspects of cooperation between local governments, with less analysis of the role of the ITI union offices themselves in this process. Taking the above into account, the aim of this work is to assess the cooperation and its main problems and challenges from the perspective of the ITI union offices. Therefore, from September 8–22, 2023, a survey using the CAWI technique was carried out in 18 FUAs of voivodeship capitals in Poland. Feedback forms were sent by 67% of the respondents (12 unions). The results obtained mostly indicate good and very good assessments of the cooperation conducted by ITI union offices with various stakeholders and in different areas. The basic cooperation partners here, of course, remain FUA local governments, but also other ITI union offices in Poland. Cooperation is still focused mainly on aspects related to the implementation of the FUA development strategy (primarily the ITI instrument). The survey showed that ITI unions generally strive to build positive relationships with other stakeholders, which may provide potential for FUA development in the future.