In the global competition for innovation and ideas, European scholarship and research will prevail only if it is able to mobilize its intellectual resources much more efficiently than it has in the past. The associated countries of Central and Eastern Europe have great intellectual potential-their long tradition of first-class scholarship is proof of this-which may be harnessed for the benefit of Europe as a whole. It is in the interest of the West to make full use of this potential and to do so without delay. The priority must be to identify high quality projects and individuals across the Continent-or at least the potential-and to foster them by means of a limited number of institutions which might be designated "European Centres of Excellence." These Centres would constitute the essential intersections of the European intellectual networks of the future. The strengthening of local intellectual traditions and the creation of a climate of co-operation between "East" and "West" would perhaps also help stabilize the institutional frameworks of the nascent democracies. In many of the former Soviet Bloc countries, the traditional institutions-for example, universities and academies-are not yet able, for a variety of reasons, to fulfil this function. Support is needed now if the current difficult situation is to be overcome, although there are good prospects that these Centres of Excellence could be financed from other sources later on.
Through participation in common projects and through stipends, the best scholars in the region already have a wide range of connections to and a thorough knowledge of West European research: they have all the intellectual prerequisites for establishing a competitive infrastructure in their own countries in line with their own ideas and experience-thereby becoming equal partners in co-operation projects-provided the necessary financial support is made available.
Institutes for Advanced Study such as Collegium Budapest, with their high research standards, would be in a special position among Centres of Excellence because they have already attained West European research standards. International and interdisciplinary environments of this kind have a considerable fertilizing effect: in the long run, the influence of preeminent scholars working there will challenge and thus strengthen the intellectual standards of traditional institutions.
COLLEGIUM BUDAPEST
Institute for Advanced Study
Szentháromság tér
2.
H-1014 Budapest
Phone: 361 156 12 44
36l 156 19 34
Fax: 361 175 95 39
E-mail:
colbud@colbud.hu