The integration of Central Europe into the European system of research

This book provides from a recent historic perspective insight about the political processes, administrative conditions and programmatic operations that made a co-operation between the EU and the Central European Countries possible. It can be demonstrated that successful participation in the European Framework Programmes for RTD depends on economic development factors and the level of the national research and innovation systems of each country under scrutiny. The book also gives a comparative picture of how the individual Central European Countries differed from each other in terms of scientific and technological specialisation patterns, geographical co-operation patterns and the organisational background of the engaged research teams under the 4th and 5th European Framework Programmes for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration. Finally, practical policy recommendations for Austrian S& T policy makers and bridging institutions are provided.