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Introduction
Results of Project

Virtuality and new Knowledge Structures

1. Questions

The point of departure for the considerations about the project „Virtuality and new Knowledge Structures“ were questions about the essential factors for social changes in the present and their usage for the development of the Centrope region.

In this context we started from the following working hypotheses: At the begin of the 20 th century agriculture was still dominant. Especially towards the middle of the 20 th century industry was most important. Towards the end of the 20 th century the knowledge societies began to develop, at a time when mining stagnated, industry was not able to eliminate mass unemployment (not to talk about agriculture).

Agriculture and industry can satisfy the basic needs, but today not the production capacities, but the kind of the production (lasting effect, ecology) as well as the distribution present a problem and the promotion of research makes available resources merely for technological development. These problems of the production and/or the distribution extend to knowledge societies in the beginning, where (functional) illiteracy and/or its social causes present essential problems.

The perceived basic conditions for the development a knowledge society for Centrope were the opening of the boundaries, new financial markets, new mobility (with the airports in the centre), new communication structures (internet, mobile telephones) and above all the project of the European Union. The central strategies of the development of the region still concentrate, however, as before on agriculture and industry - even in a city like Vienna, where science plays an important role. At the same time, however, a region like Gy ő r, where the automotive industry plays a central role, now emphasizes the importance of knowledge production as an essential element for the further development of the region.

Nevertheless there are in Centrope fundamental changes for some time now, although the basic conditions have worsened in part. An expression of this are, in a different way and with different traditions, public strategic planning, like those in Vienna (city development plan), Lower Austria (strategy planning) and Gy ő r (regional planning).

The results and/or suggestions of this project aim to improve the perceptibility of the actual importance of virtuality and to contribute with (suggestions to) exemplary, new knowledge structures towards a development of the region.

2. Phenomena of the Knowledge Society

In the history of the human race knowledge has always played an important role. As far as the knowledge societies are concerned, however, this is true in a new way. That can be observed, first of all, in the kind of the marketing, in which it is used to be able to sell everything by reference to knowledge from the production of medicines to literary works (where the social tensions and injustices are merely transferred to another field). Actually, however, as part of knowledge societies completely new qualities emerge in the forms of life, productions, formations of the living space etc., which, among other things, become perceptible as follows:

The current changes of eating were caused by new foods (revolutions of the nourishment through potatoes, corn etc.), through new spices (e.g. peppers), through new forms of preparation (electric stove, fast food, microwave), through getting to know new cuisines through journeys (e.g. spaghettis, pizza in Central Europe). In part that plays still a role today and has to do essentially with the forms of offerings through chain stores. But the decisive changes today result from the knowledge of medicine. This knowledge essentially is as a rule of a transnational origin and contributes to the transformation of the regional cuisines - also in Centrope.

The meaning of knowledge becomes publicly perceptible, for example, also in the transformation of industrial towns. Three examples of that are Linz (Austria), Essen (Germany) and Longyearbyn (Norway, Arktic). In all three cases cities, which were characterised by industry and/or mining, were transformed to cities, where knowledge plays a decisive role - not only in form of museums, festivals etc. but also through the architectural formation, by their choice of colour and much else. That is true also for Centrope, where, however, in cities like Győr and Vienna, the simultaneity of the non-simultaneous plays a larger role. So one can refer in this connection in Vienna, for example, to the transformation of the gasometers, which were redesigned from industrial buildings into residential buildings and a centre for events with restaurants, a library/record etc.

From the 60s on, the number of students has increased. Quantitatively a lot has happened since then - an increase in the number of graduates, of the quota of research, of scientists and researchers and scholars. That is true also for the Centrope region.

With the student movements it became also clear, that knowledge producers can represent a very important social element. And in the productions, the administrations, in education etc. there is a large (objective) need of knowledge producers.

Hardly anybody asked about the new social importance of knowledge production. But without such questions there is no possibility, to make proposals for the design of this production.

First of all it is to be stated at once, that knowledge production is an activity, which is characterised essentially by innovation. It has found new basic conditions through the internet since the 90s, not only in Centrope. It is now found no longer only in large institutions like schools, universities etc., but nowadays everything is offered for sale on it from remedies to financial consulting and to the philosophy.

Beside the large private and state institutions there are a multitude of one-person-productions and above all also a large area of public or charitable activity. All have in common, however, that the abilities for recognizing of signs, texts, pictures move more and more into the centre (also in everyday routines), further that the abilities to develop ideas and to sell these, have become the decisive abilities.

With it very different demands are made, however, for example in education, unlike those in reproductive society, in which there were, of course, also changes, but at the same time also a large measure of uniformity.

The new work also demands a new public sphere, which is realized in Centrope neither for work nor for other realities. Rather the existing structure of the public sphere (virtuality) presents one of the central problems for the ability to develop.

In societies like Centrope interest representatives always played a decisive role. One needs to say that, of course, much was done, to preserve the interests of the traditional structures, but for the new workers there are on the whole no adequate ideas. Rather the structures of the old production are transferred to them, and their payments are used for the rehabilitation of old accounts. For example, the numbers or pieces (the amount of publications, citations) are used now as „quality markers" in research, the hours of instruction etc. play a decisive role. In this way it is completely overlooked, that knowledge production is a production sui generis and its value formation follows different rules.

These transformations of agrarian and industrial societies are not yet part the regional "stories", which are still characterised today mostly by traditions. A transnational account of eating in Europe, which goes beyond adding of regionalisms, does not exist even as an attempt. This is a clear sign that the knowledge society has not yet become part of social thinking and their forms and possibilities have not yet been recognized in their importance publicly. Still there are attempts, to open new mutualities in the area of the universities.

3. Virtuality

It is therefore evident, that the knowledge societies begin to develop, but are not perceived thoroughly in the general public (however well in strategy concepts e.g. UNESCO or the European Union). In this connection the question must be raised, which are the features, which constitute the new quality and why they should be supported and by whom.

The central feature of a knowledge society is the fundamental social importance of virtuality (knowledge, forming of concepts) - for production, everyday routine, administration etc.

Already with the rise of manufacturers and industry the importance of virtuality increased - magazines, newspapers, in the 20th century radio, television. In addition museums and other public arrangements became also part of (social) concept formation (directly for production already in the 19th century).

In the 21st century the concept formation is limited no longer only to more or less given areas in education, administration, science, research, power centres of all kinds. These areas will become part of the public sphere (partly, however, with financial constraints). However it is no longer only the arts, which was always an element of public change, but the virtualisation includes more and more all areas of life and will become part of the structuring of productions and companies.

With this, new possibilities and value added activities emerge. Reproduction does not stand in the centre anymore, whose meaning is allied thoroughly with innovation. But an innovation was applicable up to now to thousands and to millions. Now the innovation becomes part of each and everyone, who participates in the knowledge production.

That does not mean to say that the knowledge production is not connected to reproduction. Rather, new forms of reproduction (signs, writing, images, printing, internet etc.) have led to innovations - to revolutions of knowledge - but the increase in value has nevertheless become something different: the increase of values in production and the increase in value in the use of products.

The increase in value of production is traditional and through a multiplication of its increases it receives a new quality. Yet the use of products is new to the extent as not only traditional forms are of importance but that by an innovation in its use the product itself gets a new meaning. And not only for the production but also for everyday life (and especially there, knowledge plays an increasing role in all areas).

For a long time already there has been no possibility any more to obtain knowledge universally. Problems arose out of this in all areas, because the reaction to that was specialization and therefore other areas could not be included, which is how errors became unavoidable.

The decisive point in this connection is representation in the public sphere. The results of knowledge production have to be presented publicly. Because only by being public and therefore also able to be publicly criticized, further development becomes possible. (To that extent the principle of publication of scientific results makes sense, after all, and is even necessary. However, not the number of parts produced is decisive in this context.)

In this it also becomes apparent that the idea becomes the deciding factor in representations. No amount of quotations can really cover a complex connection and even the most prominent assignments can replace critical proof. What is at stake, rather, is to formulate ideas and to open these to public discussion in order to make development possible.

The presentation of this project follows this principle which presents generalizations on the one hand, but also makes it possible on the other, through the INST, to recognize problems and new possibilities. In this way INST - and not only its output - is put to the test in public in order to make visible the subjective factor in today’s developments.

In Austro-Hungary the introduction of a modern administration in the style of Joseph became the decisive factor in the modernisation of the country. Today, too, Centrope shows that suitable conditions for development do not arise as such, out of a market etc. There are rather a number of tasks for a modern administration in order to create a favourable framework. In this context, e.g., the Interreg-Programmes could be mentioned which are presented in public meetings where suggestions can be made.

Especially this form of administration, which makes suggestions, but which also calls for implementing suggestions and which is prepared to let them flow into the concept-formation process, coincides with the demands of the developing knowledge society and is the basis for its success.

The basic characteristic of current development in Centrope is the contemporaneity of the non-contemporaneous. Old forms of production exist next to new forms of production and by all means still provide essential foundations of today’s existence.

From this contemporaneity of the non-contemporaneous it emerges that in part old forms of production are applied to new forms of production. That is especially true of industrial production which was the symbol for social revolutions for a long time. In contrast to industry with its locomotives, chimneys, machines etc., knowledge and its production is not that easily recognizable. Knowledge does not make itself felt through noise, but it has nevertheless fundamentally changed many areas of life - as we could already see.

The principles of promotion are part of the transposition of old forms such as the number of parts and hours. The key idea was that industry should be encouraged to use research but, at the same time, also pay for a part of it - because in the end its own profit cannot be realized through market regulation alone. It is a fact that in this way research is not always financed but that subsidization of industry in another form takes place. And therefore the voices are in part understandable who question the importance of research for development.

If this form of the financing is still of importance for industrial production (and by means of tax revenue again for the state), then it is completely useless in the public and charitable sector. In this sector billion are provided by own contributions. To demand money and performances in addition, is not just. This contradicts the principle of the equal treatment. And in addition this procedure is demobilizing, since it brings about some intolerable burdens.

In contrast to agrarian production, for which land is necessary, and to industrial production, for which capital is necessary, knowledge production can be instituted without enormous expense. Nevertheless one can state, that the conditions within the European Union are unequal. The most essential elements of this inequality are the conditions for applications as well as pre-financing. Although these conditions are equal for all, a difference emerges however in that the initial allocation of means is different. From this difference of allocation of means different possibilities emerge, to provide investments for pre-financing etc. And that led to structural exclusion of those, who have little, which really is not permissible.

Arising from the character of knowledge production one needs to strengthen above all subjective elements like clubs and societies etc. through a corresponding equipment with funds, to reduce the barriers to entrances to project funding, to reduce the expense for proposals etc. and the pre-financing is eliminated (or the guarantees as well as the interest are taken over by the project sponsor). In this way a meaningful contribution could be provided to the lowering of mass unemployment, since the difficulties of public and charitable activity contribute to it.

4. Topics and Project indicators

The INST and its partners because of the invitation for tenders as part of Interreg III, saw the possibility, to contribute a project to the following areas:

That corresponds on the one hand to the task description, to contribute to the development of the infrastructure, on the other hand to the character of the knowledge society and makes it possible to analyze it within the meaning of the fundamental questions of social developments.

Although since its beginning the INST has cooperated with colleagues from all Centrope-regions, a new quality of cooperation can be reached however through the development, the implementation as well as the presentations of the project. This new quality consists of having achieved a common, international result, instead of to limiting oneself only to the presentation of one’s own area.

For the exchange of information it was significant, to collect data for the correlation of regional development and knowledge production and to evaluate and to procure for it also comparable data from regions worldwide. In the centre stood the plans for the development of the respective regions (Vienna/Győr, but also Lower Austria and Burgenland) as well as both institutions (INST/Faculty of the West-Hungarian University in Győr). That was elaborated in the plenum of the IRICS-conference, in the sections and through the exhibition. Further a series of informational seminars took place, which contributed to a new understanding of knowledge productions and their importance.

The reference systems in the area of education and qualification are such, as could be useful in connection with the developing knowledge societies. Part of this is a new understanding of a subject, a new understanding the object of learning, new forms of the promotion of recognition of signs, reading, writing, interpretations, acquisition of information, development and realisation of concepts. These suggestions aim at an ability to act and organise as well as a new access to the world. Part of this is the learning of several languages. That should be an entry to the specific forms of knowledge production as well as to make new knowledge structures possible and to see to their application in diverse educational systems.

5. Cooperations

For the cooperation between the INST and the Faculty of the West-Hungarian University in Győr within the meaning of exchange of information, of science cooperation as well as the new reference system were important, to meet once and to get to know the form of working of the other. In the beginning there were public events and encounters in Győr as well as the participation at the INST-conferences in Vienna. Results from that have flowed into the display (INST), but also into the IRICS-conference (e.g. section 4.3.: The inter- and transdisciplinary relationships of cultural mediation). The following points should be emphasized, which were important as part of these encounters:

Even if it is also about data, bibliographies etc., concept formation and presentations stood in the centre.

Even if the question of social developments stood in the centre, the Hungarian partners emphasized that for them language and literature would be the most important theme. Not only, that this would correspond to the character the cooperating institutions, their exchange of information and the reference system most closely, but that that were also the elements, which would have the greatest importance for the further development of Centrope. For Centrope itself was a construct, which is based on language and which would be advertised by means of language.

In this connection the cultural studies orientation of the language and literature subjects is of fundamental importance. Cultural studies is not understood as an separate (universal) science, which replaces other sciences. Rather one has to start from specialised knowledge. However cultural studies are the platform (the public), which makes the equilibrium and alignment of information possible, and it is also the science, with which the social value of the many other subjects can be found. With that its important role in the processes for the development of knowledge societies is emphasized, which is to be understood differently from the role of theology in the Middle Ages or the philosophy in the 19th century in Europe. Especially in a developing knowledge society the abilities to organize the public as well as the establishment of social meaning are of decisive importance, without which there were significant ruptures in the past.

Starting from the INST-research languages are seen as the most important elements for knowledge revolutions. It is not only a question of trade ("national languages", Lingua franca) but also about knowledge. While the globalisation of technology, finances etc. are connected with standardizations, and knowledge in these areas has value only for a very short period, in the everyday routine, in politics etc. it is different. A reduction of languages in the knowledge society means a reduction of knowledge. The language of the power loses in importance. People, societies move into the foreground and with them language, not only with its ability for social metaphor but also with the ability for social memory.

In the knowledge society, too, developments proceed inconsistently. The tourism of the enlightenment was the discovery of other worlds. With the tourism of the industrial age whole landscapes were destroyed. With the tourism of the knowledge societies, however, regional identities could be financed. In this way the national museum in Tbilisi (Georgia) for example had to remain closed, because there was not sufficient money available to pay for electricity, because of the absence of tourists, because of the conflicts in the Caucasus, although incomparable treasures can be seen in this museum, like the golden fleece. In contrast, the wealth of Vienna is made possible also through the many tourists, where these earnings are received not only by museums, and encourage knowledge productions (conferences), but for example can be used to further the diversity of the languages in Vienna and for social development.

The scientific cooperation, the exchange of information as well as new forms of education could contribute in this context to not only form elements of a common public (especially with the help of the internet), but could create in addition a generally common, polyglot public. In order to achieve this a cultural tourism would be useful, which orients itself not entirely towards the past but also towards the common future of the region.

6. IRICS

As part of the project "Virtuality and new knowledge structures" a series of inquiries on the Hungarian and Austrian side were completed. They showed, that the construct "Centrope" is hardly anchored, because there is, of course, a contract, some drafts, displays in the WWW, but there can be no talk of a common story. Not even attempts towards a common audience can be perceived.

Also it was found, that for Centrope nothing is different from other regions and/or the national state or the European Union. All are involved in new interactions, which are summed up today in the slogan "globalisation". However even without globalisation it is a fact that languages, literatures, arts, reference systems, sciences know no boundaries. That can be recognized in the above-mentioned thesis about Centrope and globalisation (a statement, which would have validity for other regions in America, Asia or Africa), but also at the languages etc. themselves.

If therefore Centrope should be investigated, one needs to consider both the regional particularities, as well as organize an input, which would made the use of international and transnational knowledge possible.

For such a use of knowledge an INST-conference was organized, which should make this input possible. Parts of this conference were dedicated therefore directly to this region (in the plenum, an exhibition, but also as and in sections), on the other hand the conference was about two topics, which are determining in the constitution of a new region and are core elements of any constitution of virtuality:

Without reproduction no society can exist. A good reproduction determines the wealth of each society - whether in production now or in memory. To ascertain the past is thus an important starting point for any cooperation, which is thought for the future.

Without innovation errors cannot be mended, however. Development is not possible without innovation. A common innovation of a region like Centrope can be thus the basis to organize a new basis of coexistence. Because for that it needs drafts for the future.

In this connection fundamental aspects were worked out and theses developed, which will be presented here in outline. The structure follows the principle of the section groups (where a section group included one to nine teams - altogether there were 66 teams respectively sections).

The contributions were made from the perspectives of transdisciplinarity, semiotics, the social sciences and cultural studies. Common to them was the combination of the study of concept formation and its analysis. A special role in it played work, where it was shown, that without consideration of the possibilities of the knowledge society mass unemployment and devaluation of social standards in general can be observed. Centrope must find a newer, transnational concept, which orients itself towards the possibilities, which the development of the knowledge societies offers.

In these heterogeneous section groups the debate was about literature, love, sacrifices (social disputes), new (global villages) and old (growth and its boundary) social concepts. For these studies on Centrope the literary structures and the relation with the past were of particular interest.

If criticism is an essential requirement for innovations, the sections of this section group dealt with modern cultural processes, the importance of the languages in post colonialism, counter-memory and religion. These are topics, which are of basic importance for Centrope - especially if one considers the multicultural constitution of the region and its transnational perspectives.

These section groups argued directly about Centrope (in globalisation), but also with virtual communities. In the centre stood cultural mediations and drafts for cities and regions (especially with respect to the point of view of the public planning of social developments).

The arts were always the driving power for social changes. That showed itself in the working groups about festivals, the narrative forms, in a cooperation of Europe/Africa, Austrian literature and film, in open and closed systems, in border regions, pop singers in Europe and culture as third power.

These section groups showed the importance of language in social processes - cultural contacts, discoveries, sub-languages, psycholinguistics, art productions, cultural distributions (Yiddish), holy and unholy writings. They analyzed language as world and world in language.

Examples for knowledge organisation were the media, discourses, sciences, literature, feminism and cartography. These were important examples for areas, in which significant social paradigm ruptures occurred, which are of fundamental importance for Centrope.

The past is also present thoroughly in the present: Enlightenment, classic modernization, cosmopolitanism, Black Cultures are important examples. They characterize structures and are part of conflicts. Against this the sections for the teacher training and on a culture of peace projected the future (which, however, still has to step out from the past).

Archives are inalienable requirements for continuities, but continuity of old materials, themes, hopes, conflicts can be preserved even in new media.

The contributions to the children and youth literature refer to strong ruptures in Centrope, but also to new possibilities.

Amongst the current ruptures there is the increase of profit through technologies while there is a simultaneous loss of jobs if the new possibilities of the knowledge society are not used.

For each region tourism is of decisive importance, but it is not understood in each region, what importance culture has in this connection. Instead of using tourism for the wealth of a culture, mass tourism often leads to its destruction.

Migration was always a factor in the enrichment of societies. That is not often understood today, however.

A section group, which was very important, because it concerned itself both with Centrope as well as with elements the development of knowledge societies both in Central Europe as well as in the Arctic (with particular consideration of the importance of the European Union).

The strengthening the Civil Society is one of the most essential principles for the development of knowledge societies.

If the inquiries of the INST and its partners in Győr were oriented directly towards Centrope (mainly: Vienna, Győr), IRICS was about - even with respect to far away regions - the evaluation and understanding of fundamentals for the region. With that IRICS followed the principles, which were worked out for the constitution of present regions by the sponsors of the project.

These different sides of the input were summed up in theses about new knowledge structures.

7. New knowledge structures

In the following we make some suggestions in point form about the new knowledge structures, which are meant as the basis for the further development of the exchange of information, of science cooperation, as well as the reference systems for education. The point of departure is that these new knowledge structures are not structures for the handing down of classical educational knowledge. Rather, the new knowledge structures imply the ability to understand the virtual world and to use it for action. Only in this way can the constant mass unemployment be diminished and the problems migration be transformed into wealth for a society. Thus:

New knowledge means both in the classic education as well as in adult education etc., to create new access to knowledge. Differently formulated: not new topics of education, but first of all new abilities through new education.

As can be seen in these diverse examples, an agreement on a common strategy was always the basis to work out elements a knowledge society. Examples for this study were in the first instance Vienna (city development plan), Lower Austria (strategy planning) and Gy ő r (regional planning). The regions named here have however a long tradition and much experience in working out drafts for their respective regions. Interreg IV should therefore be used to collect international data in strategic areas and to prepare drafts, which could be the basis for a common agreement. New knowledge is called here in the first instance new knowledge about the new region Centrope and is to be qualified as strategic knowledge.

In the knowledge society the public is decisive. New knowledge emerges through a new public. In this the internet has a decisive importance. First attempts could be worked out with the Centrope-pages on the basis of co operations. This follows the suggestions of the Council of Europe about participation (and in this way to a further qualitative development of democracy), but this is also the basis, to become involved personally meaningfully as part of social processes. The better this form of the public and/or the knowledge, which it mediates is, the greater are the possibilities for integration and work.

Since it is not possible, to produce absolute knowledge, the decisive principle for the development of knowledge is plurality. The quality of knowledge is dependent in this case directly from the possibilities of criticism. New knowledge means thus also a new understanding of plurality

7.5.1. Language, literature, the ability to interpret etc. are not marginal in the educational field and the field of research, but are situated in the centre of the new production necessities.

7.5.2. The diversity the knowledge production has to be considered (particularly also the public knowledge production). Structural obstacles are to be cleared from the path (especially with regard to the meaning of plurality).

New knowledge in this context means also the right weighting in the teaching and learning of abilities.

The Centrope-region is a polyglot region. Multilingualism means wealth. But this social wealth is not used. This could be the basis for a new form of cultural tourism. New knowledge means in this context, to be able to present oneself in one’s identity to others (not only as an individual but also as a region).

8. Final remarks

With the qualitatively new meaning of virtuality demands on knowledge change as well. New knowledge means above all the ability, to use virtuality as a subject in a society and for a society. In this regard exchange of information, knowledge cooperation and reference systems are to be changed for education.

Further information to "virtuality and new knowledge structures" (ideas, themes, exhibition etc.) see in the WWW: http://www.inst.at/vunw/index_e.htm