With different cultures and changing times, a meaning of the same phenomena may vary. This applies also to knowledge in knowledge society: a plurality of bodies of knowledge will be preserved depending on social context, cultural significance, values and interests of the concerned groups. However, addressing the topic of the emerging knowledge society, particularly the “knowledge cultures”, implies addressing the issue of “change”: social change, socio-economic change, cultural change, changes in technology, life styles, and “environmental baselines”. A new “knowledge paradox” (...) may appear as the rising usage of scientific principles stimulates scrutiny of knowledge and breeds uncertainty in this way. (shrink)

Excellence and frontier research have made inroads into European research policymaking and structure political agendas, funding programs and evaluation practices. The two concepts travelled a long way from the United States and have derived from contexts outside of science. Following their conceptual journey, we ask how excellence and frontier research have percolated into European science and higher education policies and how they have turned into lubricants of competition that buttress an ongoing reform process in Europe.