2010, Vol. 21. Universities and Knowledge Production in Central Europe

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Universities and Knowledge Production in Central Europe (CPP RPS 21/2010)
(Center for Public Policy Research Papers Series, 2010) Kwiek, Marek
This chapter explores the question of knowledge production in the four Central European economies, all OECD members (Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic) in the context of the knowledge economy, economic competitiveness and research intensity. I argue that, today, they are not “knowledge economies” to the same extent as their more affluent and technologically advanced Western European counterparts. Therefore one of the major themes of the chapter is an ongoing East/West divide in knowledge production resulting from a high path dependency for the economy, society, as well as higher education and research and development systems in the region. I also argue that the communist legacy in Central European countries matters substantially: it matters for their economies, in transition to market economies; it matters for their societies, in transition to what are sometimes termed “postcommunist welfare states”; and it matters for both educational and research and innovation systems crucial for knowledge production. The three areas (economies, societies, and higher education and research systems) are closely interlinked and an assessment of knowledge production requires an analysis of their interrelations.