Introduction 

At present, Ukrainian-Polish relations correspond to most of strategic partnership criteria. Still, economic and humanitarian cooperation as well as interdepartmental relations need to be advanced. The achievements of Poland, which realized effective economic and administrative reforms, the fact that it became the member of the EU and NATO, are a real example for Ukraine how to act in order to succeed in achieving these goals. 

 One of the events that made intensive discussion about the European integration possible was the International Scientific Practical Seminar held under the topic “Ukrainian-Polish cooperation in the context of globalization” in Ternopil (Ukraine) on February 25-28th, 2008. It gathered participants from Ukrainian and Polish Universities and NGOs. Papers presented during this seminar, approved by demanding reviewers, have been published in this issue. 

The issue includes 18 papers from 20 authors with Ukrainian and Polish academic background or representing different NGO centers. It concentrates on problems of development of the idea of Ukrainian - Polish strategic partnership, analyses main factors influencing the establishment and the dynamics of a strategic partnership between Ukraine and Poland, discusses main obstacles hindering its implementation, including negative stereotypes existing in the consciousness of both societies, low financial possibilities of both countries as well as the slowed down tempo of the reform processes; the importance of good mutual relations between the partner countries in order to enforce their national interests became evident.  

Other papers of the journal are dedicated to the theoretical and practical aspects of the migration processes, to human capital in European Union and Ukraine as well as to regional and sustainable development as examples of important processes that influencing contemporary economy.  We hope that scientists representing different disciplines, in the first place economists, will consider this book interesting helpful in developing scientific cooperation between our countries and universities. Such contacts should be the core of economically strong Europe. 

Materials of the journal are of  practical importance for the interested state and commercial institutions in relation to the  Ukrainian-Polish collaboration development.  

Kyiv- Ternopil, July 2008 

Yuriy Bilan