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Situated in the southern part of Poland, the region of Silesia has 4.9 million inhabitants. It is one of the most urbanised regions in Poland. The two main urban and industrial centres are Katowice and Rybnik with 2.6 and 0.6 million inhabitants, respectively.
Silesia is characterised by its coalmines, steel works, power plants and factories. Industry is the main driving force in the regional economy, employing 44 % of the working population. Agriculture also has great importance and employs 25 % of the workforce, the service sector, on the other hand, is relatively small (31 %) compared to many other European regions. The unemployment level was 15 % in 2000.
Coal mining and metallurgy are the main industrial sectors in the region, while industries like construction, food processing, precision technology and ICT are gradually emerging. The agriculture and food-processing sector has potential for development, but there is a need to increase the innovation level in order to improve the competitiveness and ability to provide products of appropriate standards for international trade.
Foreign investors that are established in the region include Fiat, PepsiCo, General Motors, ISUZU and ECOCEM. Silesia has extensive business links with Germany and the Ukraine, and accounts for 14 % of Poland's national exports and 7 % of national imports.
Silesia is the second most important research centre in Poland after Warsaw. There are 30 research and development institutes in the region which have a strong influence on innovation and on the implementation of new technologies. Presently, the institutes focus mainly on the coal, steel and chemical sectors, but also their research areas are extending to cover new growth sectors in the regions as well. 24 higher education institutions, including the University of Silesia, the Silesian University of Technology and the Medical University of Silesia, also form part of the R&D structure in the region.
The Development Strategy 2000-2015 of Silesia underlines the importance of improving the conditions for establishing SMEs in the region and strengthening their long-term competitiveness. The Regional Innovation Strategy project, where Silesia works together with its project partners Nord-Pas de Calais (France) and Limburg (Belgium), therefore aims to develop a strategic framework concerning these two issues. Another measure to improve innovation in Silesia has been the setting up of a Regional Centre for Innovation and Technology Transfer.
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