GB No. 12, winter 1994
The "Progress & Business" Foundation was founded in January, 1991 by the business and university communities to promote Poland's transition to a market economy by:
The Foundation is a partnership between ten organizations from the government, industry, and university sectors: the Jagiellonian University, the Academy of Mining and Metallurgy, the Kraków School of Economics, the Danish Technology Institute (DTI), the Industrial Chemistry Industry Chamber, Marold-Alpha, a private company, and the Polish Academy of Sciences Trading House.
The Foundation is involved in restructuring various industries, notably the petrochemical and packaging industries. Other projects focus on implementing environmentally "clean" technologies in Kraków, promoting local community development (Forum "Gorlice 2012"), and developing and inter-university School of Management. An "incubator" of high tech companies has been in place at the Foundation since May, 1992, helping in the development of four computer-related companies: Clico, Televox, DOTS...Computer Systems, and Compact Disk Novelty Ltd. In December, 1992, a "Natural and Cultural Heritage Research Program" was launched to involve students and faculty from Kraków universities in applied research in the sustainable development field.
Goals: Understanding the linkages between environment, economy, and society is critical to managing the rapid and far reaching changes now taking place in Poland. In this context, the primary goal of the program—modeled on the more established Heritage Resources Centre at the University of Waterloo (Canada) -- is to promote research, education, and information exchange in the heritage field that can provide insights into the nature of the interactions between environment, economy, and society now taking place in Poland, as well as a better appreciation for their consequences.
Heritage: The word "heritage" relates to the interaction of human activities with the natural and cultural setting, including geological, biological, archaeological, social, historical, economic, and geographic factors. This includes methods as well as institutional issues related to heritage management and planning.
Scope: the program developed by the Progress & Business Foundation is to serve all those who are trying to conserve their heritage more effectively so as to understand and use it more fully. In the first instance, the idea is to promote interdisciplinary work among students and faculty of the three Kraków universities associated with the Foundation (Jagiellonian University, Academy of Mining and Metallurgy, Academy of Economics), as well as among other research and community groups. An additional motivation is the opportunity to shape education and research programs at the emerging Kraków International School of Management which is envisaged as a centre of excellence serving the Polish reform process in economy and society.
Program: Program development and more precise definition of activities in terms of projects depends on the interests and involvement of student and research communities. Initially, the precise character and scope of the program is set to evolve through informal monthly inter-university round-tables or seminars involving interested and knowledgeable persons. These seminars will be associated with specific research or consulting projects undertaken by the Foundation and its partners in Poland and abroad. Currently, for example, the Foundation is involved with a wide range of projects, all of which can potentially contribute to the program. They include:
An important motivation for the program is related to the need to integrate and learn more systematically from the experience of these projects and the work of the Foundation more generally. These projects provide a rich and more than adequate basis for developing the program. In this regard, the program gives an unusual opportunity for involving students and young scholars and for developing talented people who will build the Polish research, business, industry, public administration, and non-government communities of the future.
Networking: Support and close ties with the Heritage Resources Centre at the University of Waterloo and other universities and research groups in Poland and abroad are envisaged as a basic element of activities and ongoing development of the program. In the context of developing specific projects and activities, contacts have been made with persons from a wide range of organizations in the public and private sectors in Poland and abroad.
For further information:
Dr. Rafał Serafin
Heritage Research Program
"Progress & Business" Foundation
Al. 3 Maja 7
30-063 Kraków
Poland
0-12-343422 ext. 203
fax: 0-12-340031