Abstract:

In the last decade, European states and their transnational/national/regional innovation ecosystems faced several challenges. These included, on the one hand, a "chronic crisis" such as climate change, as well as sudden crises such as the energy crisis, covid-19 or the war in Ukraine. Such events always bring pressure on individual ecosystem actors, especially companies and policymakers. They are subsequently forced to react, and although their cooperation has been promoted for a long time, the reality is different from time to time. A classic example can be industry-government relations in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), where there is a completely different pro-innovation climate compared to their Western European neighbors.

The twin-transition including sustainability and digital transformation represent current challenges that could help innovation ecosystems both respond more quickly and effectively to incoming crises, but also build their resilience in parallel. In addition, the application of circular economy principles is perceived by several scientists as a new way of building resilience in European countries, as well as a current research gap, again, mainly in CEE countries, which have a long-term lower environmental perception.

Against the above background,the aim of this study is twofold. First, this study aims to analyze current knowledge in these areas (innovation ecosystems, twin-transition, circular economy, and resilience) with an emphasis on relations and cooperation between the main actors of innovation ecosystems in the periods before, during and after crisis situations across European states, with a special focus on CEE states. Second, this study aims to analyze the general awareness of this issue with a specific emphasis on the issue of training and education of this topic and on educational experiences in CEE states.

The study conceived in this way will provide a comprehensive view of the upcoming trends and show policymakers, as well as interested practitioners, where future research is headed, as well as what are the current implications recommended in this issue. Moreover, this study will provide examples of good teaching practice of these topics in countries burdened with lower environmental consciousness and will suggest ways to motivate society more to education in these areas and what teaching methods to include, for example at universities.

Keywords:

Innovation Ecosystems, Sustainability, Circular Economy, Digitalization, Crises, Resilience.