Connecting Universities to Regional and National Growth

Transcription

1 Connecting Universities to Regional and National Growth John Goddard Emeritus Professor of Regional Development Studies Formerly Deputy Vice Chancellor

2 Outline The European policy context cohesion and innovation Drivers and barriers for regional engagement by universities What academics do Overcoming the barriers Building capacity for engagement

3 Growth and Development Europe 2020: A European Strategy for Smart, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth [COM (2010) 2020] Smart Growth: Improving the conditions for innovation, research and development; Improving education levels Sustainable Growth: Meeting climate change and energy objectives Inclusive Growth: promoting employment; Promoting social inclusion (in particular through the reduction of poverty) 3

4 Regional Innovation Performance taxonomy Source: Regional Innovation Scoreboard,

5 Regional Policy Contributing to Smart Growth in Europe (COM (2010) 553) Regions have a central role to play as they are the primary institutional partner for universities, other research and education institutions and SMEs which are key to the process of innovation

6 Table 1. Old and new paradigms of regional policy Source: OECD (2009), Regions Matter: Economic Recovery, Innovation and Sustainable Growth. 6

7 Place-Based Rethinking (after McCann) Modern place-based thinking builds on institutional and social capital arguments Not geography versus institutions such as universities but interactions between geography and institutions We function in places all aspects of the economy including policy and governance People policies and place policies overlap, interact, complement each other 7

8 Contribution to Research and Innovation in the current programming period from Cohesion policy Unlocking growth potential by promoting research and innovation in all regions billion for research and innovation ( 65 billion from the ERDF alone) over 25% of total cohesion policy budget For less developed regions, ERDF is the most important source of funding for research and innovation Focus on capacity-building but also on infrastructure in less developed regions October 2011 latest figures show that over 50 billion have been committed to projects on Research, Innovation and the Knowledge Economy 8

9 Future cohesion policy - Research and innovation Investment priorities for ERDF Strengthening research, technological development and innovation: Enhancing research and innovation infrastructure (R&I) and capacities to develop R&I excellence and promoting centres of competence, in particular those of European interest (ESFRI) Promoting business R&I investment, product and service development, technology transfer, social innovation and public service application, demand simulation, networking, clusters and open innovation through smart specialisation Supporting technological and applied research, pilot lines, early product validation actions, advanced manufacturing capabilities and first production in Key Enabling Technologies and diffusion of general purpose technologies 9

10 The quadruple helix Quadruple Helix (QH), with its emphasis on broad cooperation in innovation, represents a shift towards systemic, open and user-centric innovation policy. An era of linear, top-down, expert driven development, production and services is giving way to different forms and levels of coproduction with consumers, customers and citizens. (Arnkil, et al, 2010) The shift towards social innovation also implies that the dynamics of ICTinnovation has changed. Innovation has shifted downstream and is becoming increasingly distributed; new stakeholder groups are joining the party, and combinatorial innovation is becoming an important source for rapid growth and commercial success. Continuous learning, exploration, co-creation, experimentation, collaborative demand articulation, and user contexts are becoming critical sources of knowledge for all actors in R&D & Innovation (ISTAG 2010)

11 The University and the Knowledge Society The university is the institution in society most capable of linking the requirements of industry, technology and market forces with demands of citizenship. Given the enormous dependence of these forces on university based experts the university is in fact in a position of strength not weakness The great significance of the university is that it can be the most important site of connectivity in the Knowledge society (and) a key institution for formation of cultural and technological citizenship (and) for reviving the decline of the public sphere. Gerard Delanty (2002)

12 Living Labs Empower citizens, as end users, to influence the development of innovative services and products that could eventually benefit society Allow industry to develop, validate and integrate new ideas, to partner with other companies and to increase their chances of success during product and/or service launches Facilitate the integration of technological innovation in society and increase the return on investment in research EU Information Society

13 Living Labs : the academic perspective The notion of treating our city and its region as a seedbed for sustainability initiatives is a potent one the vision is of academics academics out in the community, working with local groups and businesses on practical initiatives to solve problems and promote sustainable development and growth This necessitates that we proceed in a very open manner, seeking to overcome barriers to thought, action and engagement; barriers between researchers and citizens, between the urban and the rural, between the social and natural sciences, between teaching research and enterprise Co -Director of Newcastle Institute for Research on Environmental Sustainability

14 Regional Smart Specialisation National/regional research and innovation strategies for smart specialisation (RIS3 strategies) are integrated, place-based economic transformation agendas that do five important things: 1) They focus policy support and investments on key national/regional priorities, challenges and needs for knowledge-based development. 2) They build on each country's/region s strengths, competitive advantages and potential for excellence. 3) They support technological as well as practice-based innovation and aim to stimulate private sector investment. 4) They get stakeholders fully involved and encourage innovation and experimentation. 5) They are evidence-based and include sound monitoring and evaluation systems. EU JRC/ITPS (2012)

15 Horizon 2020 and Cohesion Policy: differences and complementary objectives EU R&D and Innovation Policy futurehorizon 2020 EU Cohesion Policy Differences Based largely on individual R&D and innovation Projects of a pre-competitive nature aiming at advancing knowledge and fostering innovation for growth and jobs, including but not exclusively frontier research (also co-funding national and regional programmes) Based on multiannual Programmes aiming at increased to reduce regional disparities, including through close to the market competitive R&D and innovation efforts Awarded directly to final beneficiaries (firms, public and private R&D centres and Universities, including national and regional governments in certain cases Art. 185, ERA-NET etc.) Awarded through shared management exclusively to national and regional public intermediaries Through transnational competitive calls addressed to international groupings through peer review based on excellence criteria Non competitive attribution addressed to regional players based on strategic planning negotiation (however calls possible at national or regional level) Synergies and Complementarities Horizon 2020 will focus on tackling major societal challenges, maximising the competitiveness impact of research and innovation (Industrial leadership) and raising and spreading levels of excellence in the research base Cohesion policy will focus on galvanising smart specialisation that will act as a capacity building instrument, based on learning mechanisms and the creation of critical skills in regions and Member States. 15

16 Supporting growth and jobs an agenda for modernisation of Europe s higher education system (COM (2011) (567) In assessing the role of HEIs in the region it is useful to identify the steps needed to create a connected region 'in which the institutions are key players. Through this connection process institutions become key partners for regional authorities in formulating and implementing their smart specialisation strategies They can contribute to a region s assessment of its knowledge assets, capabilities and competencies, including those embedded in the institution s own departments as well as local businesses, with a view to identifying the most promising areas of specialisation for the region, but also the weaknesses that hamper innovation

17 The Barriers National policy Regional structures and governance Finance University governance, leadership and management

18 HEI Governance, Leadership and Management Lack of institutional autonomy to respond to regional opportunities (e.g. in some countries limited control over estates, senior academic appointments etc.) Weak internal management in old research intensive HEIs Unrelated drivers for Teaching, Research and External Engagement Partnership working confined to senior management and / or isolated entrepreneurial academics Intermediate organisations (e.g. science parks, centres for continuing education) detached from academic heartland 18

19 How engaged is the academy? UK Innovation Research Centre Survey of 22,000 UK academics - External interaction and commercialisation activity (% of respondents)

20 In which of the following areas do you think your research is having either a primary or secondary impact? 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% primary secondary none

21 Which of the following types of group or organisation do you think are either primary or secondary beneficiaries of your research? 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% primary secondary none

22 Is the intended impact of your research concentrated in any particular geographical place(s) or region(s)? Yes %

23 Is the intended impact of your research concentrated in any particular geographical place(s) or region(s)? Yes %

24 Tackling the challenges / docgener/presenta/universities2011/ universities2011_en.pdf (Or just Google connecting universities to regional growth!)

25 Transactional Services vs. Transformational Activities When exploring mechanisms for intervention we need to make a distinction between the impact of normal university activity (financed as part of the core business of teaching and research) and purposive interventions (initially funded from a source outside higher education and then ideally mainstreamed.)

26 The mechanisms by which universities can and do contribute to regional development and growth 4 Key Areas; Enhancing innovation through their research activities Promoting enterprise, business development and growth Contributing to the development of human capital and skills Improving social equality through regeneration and cultural development

27 MECHANISMS FOR UNIVERSITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN SMART, SUSTAINABLE AND INCLUSIVE GROWTH high Complexit y of the activity Physical regeneration and capital projects International links and investment Stimulating innovation Helping businesses articulate demand Workforce development & CPD Human capital development Talent retention low Consultancy services Technology transfer Academic Research Student volunteering & community work Graduate enterprises Talent attraction Teaching Public lectures Museums and galleries Teaching &learning transactional Research & innovation Social mission &engagement Intervention type transformational

28 BARRIERS, CHALLENGES AND ENABLERS TO EFFECTIVE ENGAGEMENT OF UNIVERSITIES IN SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

29 PROCESSES AND PRACTICAL MECHANISMS TO BUILD CAPACITY AND INCENTIVES FOR UNIVERSITIES AND PLACES TO WORK TOGETHER Understanding where the place is at Building the partnership Designing and implementing interventions Capacity building and leadership development

30 The disconnected region? PUBLIC SECTOR Lack of coherence between national and regional/local policies Lack of political leadership Lack of a shared voice and vision at the regional/local level PRIVATE SECTOR No coordination or representative voice with which to engage Motivated by narrow self interest and short term goals HIGHER EDUCATION SECTOR Seen as in the region but not of the region Policies and practices discourage engagement Focus on rewards for academic research and teaching Dominated by firms with low demand or absorptive capacity No boundary spanners for innovation Focus on supply side, transactional interventions Ineffective or non existent partnership Lack of a shared understanding about the challenges Entrepreneurs locked out of regional planning

31 The connected region strong partnerships based on shared understanding of the challenges and how to overcome them PUBLIC SECTOR Developing coherent policies that link territorial development to innovation and higher education Generating intellectual and human capital assets for the region Evidence based policies that support smart innovation and growth Investing in people and ideas that will create growth HIGHER EDUCATION SECTOR PRIVATE SECTOR

32 Capacities needed for regions to move from disconnected to connected Absorptive Leadership Research labs Talent attraction Universities Generative Capacity Capacity Private sector investment Clusters Critical mass Networks and associations Joint projects and shared facilities Collaborative capacity Capacity Boundary spanners Ability to create a shared vision for the future See OECD report - How Regions Grow

33 Leadership development and capacity building across the boundaries Case Studies Good Practice Guides New Ways of Operating Knowledge Place Context National Context International Context Impact Place Based Leadership Development Networks Secondments Exchanges Immersion events Research projects Joint Projects Skills Place Commitment Boundary spanners Partnership workers Qualities (influencing, networking, resilience, etc.) Relationship Builders

34 Guide Recommendations (1/2) There should be an active attempt to a shift from transactional to transformational interventions with a greater emphasis on programmes rather than one-off discrete projects. Build partnerships in the region to specifically address the issues of engagement between universities and regions with particular attention given to ensuring the sustainability of partnerships in the longer term, independently of funding cycles. Managing Authorities should assign funds from their technical assistance budgets to support capacity building within the partnership. Universities, business communities and other public sector authorities should demonstrate their commitment to the process by investing in their own development.

35 Recommendations (2/2) Regional Partnerships should consider participating in the OECD programme of regional reviews in order to help identify their current strengths and areas that may require capacity building Some simplification and flexibility in implementing Cohesion Policy Regulations should be considered and Managing Authorities actively encouraged to adopt a more flexible approach. Managing Authorities and Universities adopt a broader definition of innovation to acknowledge the role that arts, humanities and social sciences can play, especially in responding to the grand challenges and develop mechanisms that draw on the expertise and contribution from the arts, creative industries etc.

36 Building the Bridge between the university and the region