Prerequisites:

Second-cycle Bologna degree in the relevant track or a university (level VII) degree

Content (Syllabus outline):

• Overview of modern demographic processes and changes in the population structure
• Impacts of demographic changes on the regional economy, workforce structure, and human capital
• Aging of the population and intergenerational differences
• Response of regional development policies and strategies to demographic changes (transport and other infrastructure, energy supply, care for the elderly, etc.)

Readings:

• Poston, D. L., Bouvier, L. F. 2013: Population and society : an introduction to demography. Cambridge University Press. New York
• Malačič, J. 2006: Demografija : teorija, analiza, metode in modeli. Ekonomska fakulteta, Ljubljana.
• Regionalni razvoj 7: Demografske spremembe in regionalni razvoj 2019. Založba ZRC. Ljubljana.
• selection of current articles in the subject’s field.

Objectives and competences:

The aim of this course is to present modern demographic processes to students, define their causes or mechanisms, and show how they affect economic development, prosperity, the development of services and intergenerational cooperation, and changes in the relationship between urban and rural areas.

The basic concepts of demographic changes will be presented at two levels:

• The global level (a closed system), which will be used to study the basic concepts of demographic development and demographic shifts;
• The regional level (an open system), which, due to the interconnection of natural and migration-based demographic trends, will demand even more complex coverage of the processes.

Students will also become familiar with demographic databases and projections, and their applicability in regional planning.

Particular attention will be devoted to the aging population, and related problems, including the silver economy and active aging.

Intended learning outcomes:

• Familiarization with modern demographic research areas.
• Familiarization with modern demographic processes and trends, from general (global) trends to regional and local special features, which one must know in order to promote regional development effectively.
• Basic ability to process and understand demographic data and interpret demographic projections.
• Understanding the relationship between the population and resources: the population as a resource user / the population as a resource.

Assessment:

Exam (90 %), written paper (10 %).