Dr. Dirk Ahner, economist, visiting professor to the European Interdisciplinary Studies Department (Natolin (Warsaw) Campus).
Former Director General of the European Commission for European regional and urban development; before that Deputy Director General for rural development;
Special adviser to the European Commissioner for regional and urban development;
Visiting professor at the European Policy Research Centre (EPRC) at Strathclyde University (Glasgow);
President of the Institute for Small and medium sized enterprises (Institut für den Mittelstand – IFM, Berlin);
Vice-president of the Regional Studies Association;
Member of the editing board of the EStIF Review on the European Structural and Investment Funds;
Member of the advisory committee to the Association of European cross-border regions.