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The international research programme, Strengthening Efficiency and Competitiveness in the European Knowledge Economies (SEEK), at the ZEW – Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research was dedicated to analysing the most pressing issues of European economic policy through application-oriented research. The programme was funded by the state of Baden-Württemberg since 2010 to promote top-level economic research. After more than ten years, SEEK ended in March 2021. A total of 59 research projects were successfully carried out under the programme.

Since the beginning of the research programme, the focus in the scientific projects was on the factors that determine the competitiveness of our national economies. Against the backdrop of the economic and financial crisis that erupted in 2007, there has been a growing awareness of the need for economic expertise and independent, science-based policy advice. SEEK research projects have deepened our understanding of economic development in Europe: They shed light on the prerequisites of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth in an increasingly internationalised and interconnected world. The research results serve as a valuable contribution to the public debate and help decision-makers in politics and administration to make fact-based policy decisions.

The SEEK programme has been successfully completed. This page continues to exist for documentation purposes, but will no longer be updated.