The role of universities in regional innovation
John Goddard
Emeritus Professor of Regional Development Studies and
Member of Smart Specialisation Platform Mirror Group
Formerly Deputy Vice Chancellor (Vice Rector)
Newcastle University
The European Commission has identified a key role for strategic intelligence in universities ‘ to identify high value added activities which offer best chances of strengthening a region’s competitiveness…smart specialisation involves business, research centres and universities working together to identify the most promising areas of specialisation but also weaknesses that hinder innovation’ (SEC (2010)1183). This is why regional authorities across Europe are seeking to mobilise universities in support of their regional development strategies. A key message from the OECD2007 report Higher Education Regions: Globally Competitive, LocallyEngaged is that successful partnerships depend on both universities and regional authorities understanding each other’s drivers. Too often partnerships fail because university managers do not understand the challenges of regional development and regional authorities do not understand the core mission of universities and the constraints within which they work. However, once mutual understanding is there it is possible to put in place structures and procedures which overcome the barriers to collaboration. This mutual understanding can come from appreciation of some of the general principles as to why the universities in a region have the potential to contribute to its development and from case studies about how those principles have been translated into practice. Understanding principles as well as practice is important as it reveals that while there are some universal mechanisms that can be adopted across the whole of the EU in this area – what is actually effective is highly contingent on regional and national circumstances, including the region’s industrial structure and governance, and how universities are funded and regulated within their national higher education system.
The talk will summarise the range of mechanisms through which universities can in theory contribute to regional development and the drivers and barriers behind the practise of engagement from both the university and regional sides. It will illustrate the point by one case study : Varmland and Karlstad University, Sweden. (Shortlisted for a ‘Regio Stars’ award). The importance of the OECD process of self evaluation and peer review will be highlighted in this case. The talk will introduce the Guide being prepared for Structural Fund managing agents on mobilising universities in support of their regional development strategies as a contribution to the S3 Platform. It will highlight the importance of building a European ‘community of practise’ around this agenda linking universities, regional authorities and business on the ‘know what’ and ‘ know how’ of university region collaboration by reference to the DG Education and Culture project EU-Drivers for a Regional Innovation Platform