Science for Peace and Development: Collaboration
and Networking in
South Eastern Europe
A new collection to be published by the Austrian
Institute of East and Southeast European Studies (OSI)
Editors:
Dr. Patrick Carmichael (Institute of Education, University of Reading, UK)
Dr. Miroslav Polzer, (OSI Austrian Science and Research Liaison Office,
Ljubljana, Slovenia)
Overview
Debates initiated at the World Conference on Science in Budapest in 1999 and
expressed in the Framework for Development were further developed at the
'Science for Peace and Development - Regional Scientific Co-operation in South
East Europe' Conference held in Maribor in October 2001 under the auspices of
the Slovene National Commission for UNESCO and the UNESCO Regional Bureau for
Science in Europe (the conference presentations can be viewed as video on
demand).
During this latter conference, which was initiated and co-ordinated by the
Austrian Institute of East and South East European Studies - Branch Office
Ljubljana (Dir: Dr. Miroslav Polzer), representatives from Government Agencies,
Educational Institutions and Non-Governmental Organisations from across Europe
discussed opportunities for cooperation and collaboration within and between the
countries of South Eastern Europe and the European Union. Participants shared
experiences: of successful collaboration; of the constraints and obstacles to
collaboration and development; of research methodologies and of enabling
technologies.
The launch of the European Union 'Sixth Framework Programme' (FP6) offers a
range of opportunities for collaboration and capacity-building across Europe,
but at the same time it raises questions about the future directions and levels
of support for research and development in countries outside the European Union
and who are unlikely to become members during the lifespan of the programme.
This is particularly the case in those states and regions where the breakdown of
civil society structures has made the establishment and maintenance of effective
academic networks difficult. It is misleading, however, to argue that a decade
of instability in South East Europe has left the region simply 'lagging behind'
the countries of the European Union in terms of research capacity. While some
formal networks have been disrupted, there are many examples of innovative
practice and effective collaboration within the region and the last decade has
witnessed the emergence of new patterns of partnership between individuals and
institutions both within and beyond the region.
Call for Papers
Selected papers from the Maribor conference 2001
will form the basis of a book due to published in 2003 by the Austrian Institute
of East and Southeast European Studies and edited by Dr. Patrick Carmichael of
the Institute of Education, University of Reading, UK and Dr. Miroslav Polzer,
Director of the Austrian Institute of East and South East European Studies
- Ljubljana Branch Office, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
This book will provide case-studies of the development of scientific research
capacity - by individuals, research groups, academic institutions, governments
and non-governmental organisations - within national Science and Technology
policies, EU RTD Framework programmes, the Stability Pact and other Regional and
International Organisations. These will present the results of research into
current capacity; reviews of previous and current projects; analysis of patterns
of collaboration and network development; descriptions and evaluations of
enabling technologies; and instances of 'best practice' in community
development, academic and technical collaboration and research capacity
building.
The editors wish to supplement the papers presented at the Maribor Conference in
2001 with further contributions in the following areas:
* International Agencies, Initiatives and Funding Programmes: experiences of
administrators, managers, researchers and users of collaborative projects funded
under FP5 and other funding programmes
* Developments in the University Sector in South-Eastern Europe, including:
Inter-University organisations, Conferences, Summer Schools and Fellowship
Programmes; Academic and Research Organisations and Networks.
* The Role of Non-Governmental Organisations, Learned Societies and Academies of
Science in coordinating and promoting research and building research capacity
* Enabling Strategies and Technologies: Databases and Directories of Research
and Expertise; Electronic Networking; Collaborative Workspaces, e-Learning and
Distance Learning; Video- and audio-conferencing over the Internet; e-Journals;
Internationalization and Localization of resources and technologies
The book seeks to identify 'best practices' in enabling and maintaining research
and maximising its impact, and encourages contributions providing reflective
accounts and practical strategies as well as those with broader policy or
theoretical insights.
Proposing a Contribution
Contributors are invited to provide a 500-word (maximum) plain text abstract of
their proposed contribution. Proposals may be made via email to the editors (p.carmichael@reading.ac.uk)
or via the proposal form at
http://www.reading.ac.uk/~ems97pc/osi. The closing date for proposals is
20th December 2002. Contributors will be informed by 20th January 2003 as to the
decision of the editors regarding inclusion of their paper.
Dr. Patrick Carmichael
Institute of Education, University of Reading, UK
Dr. Miroslav Polzer
Austrian Institute of East and South East European Studies - Ljubljana Branch
Office, Ljubljana, Slovenia
