The seminar will offer insights to the issue of regional socio-economical growth differences in Poland, and is the first in a series of workshops and seminars in connection with a €265,000 research project led by the University of Warsaw's Faculty of Economics. The project is implemented in partnership between Warsaw University, Østfold University College in Norway and Jagiellonian University in Krakow.
The universities aim to develop a research methodology and diagnosis of the issue of Polish regional socio-economic growth differences, and the June seminar will serve as an introductory conference to generate ideas and approaches. Researchers from different parts of the world, in particular Norway and Poland, will explore the relationship between local inhabitant's ability to take advantage of social and economic progress, and the corresponding level of regional development.
"We hope this conference will give impetus and visibility to the research project," Anna Grochowska, one of the project researchers and organiser of the conference, said. Regional growth differences as a function of ‘civilisation competences', understood as a combination of social, cultural and human capital, has already been the topic of an open call for research papers within the project. The call resulted in 40 paper proposals, and 25 selected speakers will present their papers at the conference in June. Professor Barbara Liberda at Warsaw University underlined the importance of having both Polish and international speakers present at the conference in order to achieve a multifaceted project outcome. Two additional seminars will be held at a later stage.
Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway have allocated a total €344.8 million to Poland under the financial mechanisms, of which €28 million has already been channelled to academic research projects. Additionally, Norway and Poland have established a €15.3 million research fund earmarked to partnership projects between the two countries.
Further details about the seminar and the research project can be found at www.compete.pl, and by running a search for PL0104 in the project database.