This paper shows the skills and competences (technical, behavioural and contextual) affecting regional and rural development in Romania. The methodology used is based on the model of Working with People (WWP), which integrates elements of social learning and planningand Project management international models, which integrate competences that have an influence on regional development. WWP model is the result of experience in rural development planning from the research group GESPLAN at the Technical University of Madrid in several European contexts and emerging countries.

The results show that the main skills and competences for regional development in Rumania are focused on three components: technical-entrepreneurial,social-ethical and political-contextual. Experience lessons in the first years of the Romanian National Rural Development Network (NRDN) demonstrate the right project management approach for Regional Development, exceeding the “technical” approach of the management and emphasizing the behaviour of individuals and the contexts where they work. This new way of thinking opens up new fields of research in regional development projects planning, evaluation and management. These three dimensions are necessary for effective management and implementation of projects and programs under conditions of regional development.