Network analysis of co-operation between research institutions - example of ESPON Programme

The aim of the paper is to characterise ESPON Programme (European Observation Network for Territorial Development and Cohesion) as a network-based international research programme and the evaluation of capacity of network analysis in studying scientific cooperation. Results of the study show that institutions involved in ESPON projects create a dense, closely interconnected network of co-operation. The network is dominated by a limited number of institutions, which are involved in large share of the projects and have the most expanded cooperation network. Spatial analysis proves that there is significant lack of institutions from Central-Eastern Europe in the Programme. Network analysis allowed to identify the most efficient methods for improving the presence of institutions representing new member states in the ESPON co-operation network.