TRANSFORMATION OF RESEARCH SYSTEMS IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN-EUROPE - A COINCIDENCE OF OPPORTUNITIES AND TROUBLE

This paper analyzes the transformation of research systems in Central and Eastern Europe as a coincidence of opportunities and trouble. Poli tical rebuilding has brought opportunities for the greater self-regula tion of research which has been demanded by many researchers. But an a ppropriate institutional rebuilding of the research system is strongly restricted by sharply reduced resources, and by political pressure to wards research orientated to short-term applications in industry. Thes e factors have shaped the dynamics of the transformation of research s ystems in the post-communist countries and have led, so far, to rather unsatisfactory outcomes. This paper gives an overview of these develo pments, emphasizing the similarities between the different countries.