Abstract
The conference was devoted to the project "The contribution of higher education institutions to strengthen socio-economic development of peripheral regions in Norway and the Czech Republic." The basic research objective of the project was to identify, assess and strengthen the possible ways of mutual influence and collaboration between regions and higher education institutions performing in these regions. The ultimate aim was to help strengthen local development processes by critically analysing regional dynamics and strategic imperatives and the ways in which these are being addressed (or not) by higher education institutions (through research and teaching activities as well as their "third roles").
In so doing, one of the project's main aims is to strengthen the basis for long-term collaboration between regional actors at various levels and higher education institutions. The above mentioned theme was the subject of research in peripheral regions of the Czech Republic and Norway and in higher education institutions located and functioning in these regions.
The research focused on the processes and structures constraining and/or enabling higher education institutions to more actively contribute to of the broader development of their host regions.