In collaboration with the International Journal of Urban Regional Research and Blackwell Publishers, the Foundation for Urban and Regional Studies (FURS) is organising an international essay competition. A prize of GBP 1000 will be awarded for the best essay on urban and regional themes by young (under 35) non-native English-speakers.

The essay should be no longer than 7000 words, footnotes and bibliography included, and sent with a 500-word maximum summary in English. Essays written in the following languages will be considered: English (provided the author is not a national of the UK, the USA, anglophone Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or any other native English-speaking community), French, Spanish, German, Portuguese and Italian.

A note must be attached to the essay indicating the author's full name, address, university or workplace (if any), date and place of birth, nationality, telephone and fax number(s) and a short CV (max. 100 words).

Essays must be sent by 31 January 2001 to nicoletta.carmi@unimib.it as an attachment (Basic Mime encoding) or by mail (winword file on diskette) to the following address: FURS Essay Competition, Fondazione Bignaschi, Via Olmetto 3, 20123 Milano, Italy. Unsuccessful entrants in the 1999 competition are encouraged to enter again, but may not submit the same essay. Essays exceeding 7000 words will not be considered.

The essays will be read by two anonymous referees who will send their comments to Prof. Enzo Mingione to prepare a shortlist for consideration by the judging panel. The results will be made public and communicated to entrants no later than 1 July 2001.

The prize-winning essay will be published in IJURR in English (translated if necessary) complete with any changes and corrections suggested by the referees. The second and third placed essays will be offered GBP 250 and GBP 100 worth of Blackwell titles respectively by Blackwell Publishers.

Prof. Ray Pahl, University of Essex, Chairman of the Foundation for Urban and Regional Studies
Prof. Enzo Mingione, University of Milano Bicocca, Organizer of the Essay Competition

For further information please contact:
FURS Essay competition, Fondazione Bignaschi, Via Olmetto, 3,
20123 Milano, Italy Tel: 39-02-8057718, Fax: 39-02-8692565,
nicoletta.carmi@unimib.it