However, its distinctive approach developed in the 1980s, pioneered by Professor Andrzej Klasik, who introduced concepts of regional studies and strategic management from the French-speaking academic world to socialist Poland and the heavily industrialised region of Silesia.
What began as research into regional restructuring and strategic development gradually evolved into a broader approach to understanding territorial change. Over the following decades, researchers from Katowice explored regional innovation systems and entrepreneurial milieus, industrial diversification, urban and regional resilience, strategic and technological foresight, and the changing role of cities in regional economies.
This research tradition has developed alongside the transformation of Katowice and Upper Silesia, where coal mining and heavy industry have gradually given way to a more diversified economy, with a growing role for knowledge-based activities and culture. In recent years, research has increasingly focused on the green and just transition, combining territorial analysis with stakeholder participation and policy-oriented research.
The experience of the team extends beyond academia. Through European research programmes, national projects and cooperation with regional and local authorities, scholars have contributed to strategies and policy frameworks for Polish regions and cities, recently including interventions under the Just Transition Fund. Working with communities, businesses and public institutions has become an important part of their approach to regional transformation.
Today, the Department of Strategic and Regional Studies brings this experience to MOSAIC. As the consortium leader, the University of Economics in Katowice coordinates the project, supports its governance and integrates research across partners and work packages. At the same time, the Department contributes its long-standing expertise in industrial regions, territorial resilience, foresight and stakeholder engagement to the project's central question: how industrial transitions unfold across different places, and how they can contribute to a fairer and greener future.
