September Innovation Science: NW&I-UU and TeMa-TUE

Transcription

1 September 2005 Innovation Science: NW&I-UU and TeMa-TUE

2 Quality Assurance Netherlands Universities (QANU) Catharijnesingel 56 P.O. Box RA Utrecht The Netherlands Phone: +31 (0) Fax: +31 (0) Internet: Quality assessment of education and research in Dutch universities was until recently carried out by the Quality Assurance department of the VSNU. In 2004 the activities of this department were transferred to QANU, which assumes responsibility for completion of the VSNU activities initiated before QANU Text and numerical material from this publication may be reproduced in print, by photocopying or by any other means with the permission of QANU if the source is mentioned. 2 QANU / Innovation Science: NW&I-UU and TeMa-TUE

3 Table of contents Foreword 5 Preface 7 General Part 9 0 Structure of this report 11 1 General remarks 13 2 Innovation sciences: an overview 17 Report on the degree courses offered by Utrecht University 21 0 Introduction 23 1 Aims and objectives of the bachelor degree course 25 Programme of the bachelor degree course General Science 29 3 Aims and objectives of the master degree course Science and Innovation Management 37 4 Programme of the master degree course Science and Innovation Management 39 5 Effectiveness of the organisation, deployment of staff 45 6 Facilities and provisions 47 Internal quality assurance, quality of the self assessment report 49 8 Results 51 Report on the degree courses offered by Eindhoven University of Technology 55 0 Introduction 57 1 Aims and objectives of the bachelor degree course 59 2 Programme of the bachelor degree course Technology & Society 63 Aims and objectives of the master degree courses Technology and Policy and Human Technology Interaction 71 4 Programme of the master degree courses Technology and Policy and Human Technology Interaction 73 5 Effectiveness of the organisation, deployment of staff 79 6 Facilities and provisions 81 7 Internal quality assurance, quality of the self assessment report 85 8 Results 89 QANU / Innovation Science: NW&I-UU and TeMa-TUE 3

4 Appendices 91 Appendix 1: Final qualifications T&P and HTI 93 Appendix 2: Curricula vitae of the committee members 97 Appendix 3: Discipline Protocol 101 Appendix 4: Programme of the site visits QANU / Innovation Science: NW&I-UU and TeMa-TUE

5 FOREWORD This report is part of the quality assessment of university degree programmes in the Netherlands. The purpose of this report is to present a reliable picture of the results of the programmes submitted for this review, to give feedback to the internal quality assessment of the organisations concerned, and to serve as the basis for accreditation of the bachelor and master programmes by the Netherlands Flemish Accreditation Organisation (NVAO). The report is written in English because the Technical University Eindhoven has chosen to combine this assessment with an assessment of the research programmes that are linked with the degree programmes that are assessed in this report, and because of the international composition of the Committee. QANU aims to ensure independent, unbiased, critically constructive assessments using identical quality criteria as far as possible, while taking specific circumstances into account. The Review Committee has fulfilled its tasks with great dedication and under circumstances that required an unusual, innovative approach. The degree programmes were evaluated in a thorough and careful manner and the committee has succeeded in establishing a fruitful link with the research assessment. We expect the judgements and recommendations will be taken into careful consideration by the course providers and the management of the faculties and of the universities concerned. We thank the Chairman and Members of the Review Committee for their willingness to participate in this assessment and for the dedication with which they carried out this task. We also thank the staff of the departments for their carefully prepared documentation and for their co-operation during the assessments. Dr. Jan G.F. Veldhuis Chairman of the QANU-Board Mr. Chris J. Peels QANU-Director QANU / Innovation Science: NW&I-UU and TeMa-TUE 5

6 6 QANU / Innovation Science: NW&I-UU and TeMa-TUE

7 PREFACE This report describes the assessment of the bachelor and master degree programmes in the field of Innovation Science at Utrecht University and at Eindhoven University of Technology. This assessment was combined with the quality assessment of research in Innovation Science at the Department of Technology Management of Eindhoven University of Technology during the period In this way, the Committee as a whole had a unique overview of both the education and research activities in this domain, and of the close connections between these activities. The assessment of the Eindhoven research programmes is published in a separate QANU-report. The Review Committee is grateful to the departments for their efforts invested in preparing the reports about their degree courses. The information provided in these reports is a crucial component of the entire process of quality assessment. The committee appreciated the open, constructive and stimulating discussions with the board, management, staff and students. As chair of the Committee, I would like to express my great appreciation for the commitment and the contributions of the committee members. They showed great interest and dedication in the different stages of the demanding assessment procedure. Prof. Dr. Bart Nooteboom Chairman of the Committee QANU / Innovation Science: NW&I-UU and TeMa-TUE 7

9 GENERAL PART QANU / Innovation Science: NW&I-UU and TeMa-TUE 9

11 0 Structure of this report In this report, the assessment committee Innovation Science (in what follows: the committee) gives an account of its findings. The report consists of two parts: a general part and a part which contains the reports on the degree courses the committee assessed. The general part contains remarks on the committee s task, its composition and its working methods, the framework of reference and an overview of the domain. QANU / Innovation Science: NW&I-UU and TeMa-TUE 11

13 1 General remarks 1.1 The committee s task The task assigned to the committee was to assess the education programme Technology & Society (Techniek & Maatschappij, TeMa) of the Department of Technology Management of Eindhoven University of Technology, and the education programme Science and Innovation management (Natuurwetenschappen en Innovatiemanagement, NW&I) of the Department of Innovation and Environmental Sciences in the Faculty of Geosciences of Utrecht University. This assessment took place in accordance with the accreditation requirements published by the Dutch-Flemish accreditation organisation (NVAO). Parallel to this review, the same committee also reviewed the research that is linked to Technology & Society at the Department of Technology Management of Eindhoven University of Technology. The results of the research review are published in a separate QANU-report 1. The committee followed the specific requirements of the Discipline Protocol (see Appendix 2), prepared by the institutes involved. 1.2 The composition of the committee The committee began its activities at a time when the Association of Universities in the Netherlands (VSNU) was still responsible for the organisation and co-ordination of assessments of degree courses offered by universities. The committee was appointed in June 2004 and consisted of: Bart Nooteboom, University of Tilburg, chairman, Granger Morgan, Carnegie Mellon University, Cees Terlouw, Twente University (educational scientist), Dirk van Apeldoorn, Wageningen UR (student member), and as research members: Håkon Andersen, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Stan Metcalfe, director of PREST (Policy Research in Engineering, Science and Technology), Carl Mitcham, Colorado School of Mines, Wendy Rogers, Georgia Institute of Technology. A short curriculum vitae of each of the members is included in Appendix 1. The research members of the committee (Andersen, Metcalfe, Mitcham and Rogers) did not participate in the review of the educational programmes. The education members did participate in the research review. Roel Bennink of the QANU bureau was appointed secretary of the Review Committee. The composition of the committee was officially approved by the QANU Board. All members of the Committee signed a declaration and disclosure form to safeguard that: 1 Research assessment Innovation Science TU/e, QANU 2005 QANU / Innovation Science: NW&I-UU and TeMa-TUE 13

14 the panel members judge without bias, personal preference or personal interest, and the judgement is made without undue influence from the institute, the programme or other stakeholders. 1.3 The degree courses to be assessed by the committee This report covers the following programmes: Two degree courses of Utrecht University: Bachelor of General Science (three years, started in 2002, CROHO 6982) Master of Science and Innovation Management (two years, started in 2003, CRO- HO 60709) Three degree courses of Eindhoven University of Technology: Bachelor of Technology & Society 2 (three years, started in 2001, CROHO 56265) Master of Technology and Policy (two years, fulltime and part-time, started in 2004, CROHO 66265) Master of Human Technology Interaction (two years, fulltime and part-time, started in 2004, CROHO 60431). The assessment formally also covers the old style Eindhoven programmes: Technology & Society (4 years, fulltime and part-time, CROHO 6265); ends Technology & Society (5 years, fulltime and part-time, CROHO 6992); ends Materials presented to the committee as a basis for the assessment The faculties offering the degree courses prepared self-assessment reports in accordance with the new NVAO-accreditation criteria 3 and the QANU-Protocol. In the case of Eindhoven University, the self-assessment report for the degree programmes was combined with the selfassessment report for the research review, in one volume. Study guides of the programmes were also provided. This documentation was sent to the committee in October As background information, Utrecht University also provided the relevant parts of the selfevaluation for the research review of the Copernicus Institute for Sustainable development and Innovation ( ) and of the findings of the external quality assessment of that Institute (June 2004). The faculties provided lists of the 25 most recent graduation papers (scripties) of the programmes under review (or their direct predecessors). The committee selected 10 of these papers from each of these lists and studied them in detail in the course of the review. 1.5 Working method adopted by the committee The international composition of the committee and the combination with the research review in the case of Eindhoven, made it necessary to develop a working method that is somewhat different from the standard procedures. The committee decided to organise the site visits in 2 From September 2005 the new name of this bachelor programme will be Innovation Sciences (Technische Innovatiewetenschappen, TIW). 3 Accreditatiekader bestaande opleidingen hoger onderwijs, NVAO, 14 February QANU / Innovation Science: NW&I-UU and TeMa-TUE

15 two phases. A so-called pre-visit was held on November 29, In this pre-visit, the chairman, the educational scientist, the student-member and the secretary held interviews with representatives of staff, students and management at the two participating institutes, focussing on factual information about the degree programmes under review, as required in the NVAOaccreditation protocol. Extensive reports of these interviews were produced by the secretary, in order to inform the rest of the committee and to serve as a basis for the interviews in the site visits of the committee as a whole, that were held on January The committee decided that the framework of reference that was used in the previous assessment of the degree courses under review could serve as the basis for this review as well. 4 Together with the NVAO-requirements and the QANU-protocol, and the mission statements and discipline specific requirements of the programmes themselves, there was no need for further elaboration of an approach to the review. The committee decided to use a checklist containing all the subjects and facets from the NVAO s accreditation framework. The committee held a preparatory meeting on 16 January 2005; site visits took place on 17 and 18 January (Utrecht) and on 18, 19 and 20 January 2005 (Eindhoven). These visits started with a preparatory meeting, in which the committee discussed the findings of the pre-visit in November, and the self-assessment report and additional materials relating to the degree courses it was about to assess, including the selected recent theses produced by graduates of the old style degree courses that are the predecessors of the bachelor and master degree courses to be assessed. Theses produced by graduates of the master degree courses were not available yet. The programme of the site visits is included in an Appendix of this report. The committee interviewed staff members, students, members of Education Committees (Opleidingscommissies) and Exam Committees (Examencommissies), members of the support staff and graduates. The series of discussions always ended with a discussion with the board of the faculty offering the degree courses. After this discussion, the committee formulated its preliminary conclusions, which its chairman presented to the faculty at the end of the site visit. Shortly after the visits, these conclusions were also sent to the faculties in writing. After the site-visits, draft reports were produced by the committee and submitted to the faculties offering the degree courses, which had the opportunity to identify possible misinterpretations and factual errors. The committee has understood that the main purpose of accreditation is not to compare degree courses with each other, but to decide whether a degree course fulfils the criteria which have been defined by the NVAO. Nevertheless, the simultaneous and uniform assessment of several programmes in the same domain is an important asset in the quality assurance. This approach brings out similarities and differences, and can serve benchmarking purposes. However, given the specific context of the programmes and their different courses of development, a simple comparison of (an aggregate of) the scores can be hazardous. In the case of the programmes in this review, at least the following factors must be taken into account: the Eindhoven programmes have a longer history of development the Utrecht programme is clearly still in the build-up phase 4 Technology & Policy, Onderwijsvisitatie VSNU, December 1997 QANU / Innovation Science: NW&I-UU and TeMa-TUE 15

16 the starting position since the previous assessment was more difficult for the Utrecht programme the staff-student ratio of the programmes is different the Utrecht programme has chosen an integrative approach over a broad range which is very ambitious and (in the eyes of the committee) in this time span and under the present conditions needs sharpening. Such differences must be taken into account when reading this report. (See also chapter 2). The scores in this report follow the scale prescribed by the NVAO and have the following meaning: Excellent (4) means that for this facet a level is attained that can serve as national and international example of good practice. Good (3) means that the level of this facet is above basic quality. Satisfactory (2) means that the facet meets the basic standard of quality. Unsatisfactory (1) means that the facet is below expectation and requires policy attention. The committee s default assessment was Satisfactory. This means that the score for a certain facet was Satisfactory if the committee did not observe anything notable or remarkable either in a positive or in a negative sense relating to that facet, in other words: when everything was simply in order, or if any negative elements were clearly counterbalanced by positive elements. In addition, the committee decided that it could assess facets of the master degree courses even when due to their recent start the evidence was not complete, if the committee was convinced that the new degree course would similarly fulfil the criteria for the facet on the basis of evidence relating to the old degree course and the bachelor degree course. The texts that precede the assessments summarise the information gathered from the documents and the site visit, and in these texts the committee gives its conclusions and recommendations. 16 QANU / Innovation Science: NW&I-UU and TeMa-TUE

17 2 Innovation sciences: an overview The expanding discipline of innovation sciences The importance for society of innovation, and hence of programmes of education and research in that area, hardly needs to be argued. However, such programmes face a number of challenges. They need to be interdisciplinary, combining elements such as technology, markets, organization, and institutions. While in the past there was an emphasis on technological change, in recent years there has been an increasing recognition of the non-technological aspects of innovation. This is exemplified in policy discussions at the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs. The importance of non-technological aspects was recognized also in the report of the previous visiting committee in the area of Technology and Policy, in In fact, this insight was already part of the basic notions of innovation proposed by the innovation economist Schumpeter: innovation entails the technical and commercial realization of an invention, and may concern technology but also sourcing, marketing and organization. However, because technology is still an indispensable part of innovation science, some basic understanding of technology must be maintained. Many also feel that a proper understanding of technology requires basic training in the underlying exact sciences (mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology). Whereas such preparation may have been part of old curricula in secondary education, that can no longer be taken for granted, and this imposes further demands on university programmes in innovation. Since technology has a basis in natural science, while organization, markets and institutions have a basis in behavioural science, innovation studies require a combination of beta ( hard ) and gamma ( soft ) sciences, with their differences in outlook, style and method. This yields a fundamental problem for programmes in innovation studies. It is useful but also difficult for students to bridge the beta and gamma fields, and this is not made any easier by the fact that it is difficult to find teaching staff who have experience in both areas. Furthermore, there are also choices to be made within the fields of beta and gamma. In the analysis of organization and markets one should ideally combine economics, sociology and psychology, and fields based on those disciplines, such as marketing and organizational behaviour. Sociology is needed to understand the effects of social structure, such as networks of people and firms, which are increasingly seen as crucial for innovation. Psychology, including social psychology, is needed to understand motivation and decision making, by entrepreneurs, producers and consumers, under the uncertainty of innovation. We should probably expand the range of disciplines to include cognitive science, because if knowledge, learning and collaboration are crucial in innovation, and we talk of the knowledge economy, shouldn t we include sciences of cognition and language? Such combinations of disciplines within the gamma field are not easy. Even within economics and sociology there are divergent, rival schools of thought. Within economics there are the fields of neo-classical, evolutionary and (new and old) institutional economics. Within sociology there are the fields of population ecology, networks, rational choice and interpretive or configurational sociology. They may all have a contribution to make. Innovation is closely related to entrepreneurship, which constitutes an area of its own, with a literature that has exploded over the past fifteen years. QANU / Innovation Science: NW&I-UU and TeMa-TUE 17

18 Within science and technology there are a variety of fields and related industries: chemicals, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, ICT, software, mechanics, sensors, robotics, nanotechnology, new materials, etc. Should one opt for reasonable depth of treatment of one or two technologies ( focus ), or for a more cursory treatment of a wider range ( scope )? Finally, there is also a choice to be made concerning level of aggregation: the macro (inter)national level of innovation policy, the meso level of industries and markets, and the micro level of firms or projects. In sum, the content of innovation science varies in five dimensions: Beta science: mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, Technologies: chemicals, biotechnology, software, ICT, new materials, nanotechnology, robotics, Gamma science: economics, sociology, social psychology, cognitive science, Aspects of innovation: institutions, innovation systems, entrepreneurship, strategic management, marketing, organization (structure and behaviour), human resource management (HRM), Level of aggregation: macro, meso, micro. Note that not al these dimensions are independent. Dropping the micro level may allow one to drop strategic management, marketing, organization and HRM. Can one combine all these elements while maintaining coherence and depth, and fit them into the time available? It seems clear that choices have to be made: one cannot do everything. Roughly speaking, one can, for example, go for breadth, covering multiple industries and corresponding fields of science, thus compromising on depth, or for depth, delving more deeply into one or two industrial sectors, thus compromising on breadth. The two universities visited by the committee, Utrecht and Eindhoven, both struggled with these problems and made different choices. Choices Utrecht opted for a fairly wide scope, and managed to get its programme accepted as belonging to the beta field, thus earning five years for their programme. This allowed, and required, a combination of natural sciences, technology, and management, with a broad basis and later specialization in one of three areas of technology: Energy and materials, Mobility and infrastructure, and Medical biotechnology. The visiting committee for Technology policy in 1997, covering relevant programmes in Utrecht, Eindhoven and Delft, noted that there are three basic designs: Beta plus, 50/50 beta/gamma, and Gamma plus. It noted that previously Utrecht offered a Beta plus programme, and the committee recommended a shift to the 50/50 beta/gamma one. Utrecht has moved in that direction. However, in the setting they chose it is not easy to realize the claim of including entrepreneurship studies and innovation management on the firm level, with all the requisite elements of organization, strategy, human resources, etc. That may be a legitimate choice. Eindhoven chose not to include innovation management within the firm, and sought more focus in several weakly connected specialised areas of (national, industrial) innovation systems, history of technology, philosophy of technology, and man-machine interaction. In this setting it is better feasible to achieve focus and depth. 18 QANU / Innovation Science: NW&I-UU and TeMa-TUE

19 Perhaps the fact that the overall level of scores in the evaluation was higher for Eindhoven than for Utrecht has something to do with this choice of scope. The committee has respect for Utrecht taking up the challenge of a broader programme, but has to note that while its overall performance is satisfactory, and good in some respects, there is room for further improvement. The future The committee emphasizes that choices have to be made, since not all elements relevant to innovation studies can be included in a single programme. It notes that in fact choices of content tend to be made implicitly rather than on the basis of explicit, substantive trade-offs. They tend to emerge from what happens to be available among stakeholders, in terms of interest and competencies, particularly among the leaders in the development of the programme. While this may be an institutional reality, efforts should also be directed at a different policy: instead of determining content on the basis of available resources among incumbent people, the recruitment of people should ideally fit a considered design of content. In the programmes under review, there are signs of both approaches. As a perspective for the future, it might be possible to attain more integration of aspects by a reduction of variety, in natural sciences, technologies, gamma sciences, and aspects of innovation management, by the development of more generic logics and connective or integrative concepts or disciplines, on a higher level of abstraction. Are there basic principles of process or phenomenon that may be derived from natural sciences? Are there generic principles of technology, from which particular technologies can be derived as special cases? Is there a perspective for a more integrative behavioural science, or a science of management or entrepreneurship, bridging economics and sociology? If there are such perspectives, this is a matter of fundamental research that may be put on the research agenda, but it will take a long time to yield results. Meanwhile, designing programmes in innovation sciences remains a matter of making choices. It does seem possible to find bridging concepts that connect different elements of a programme, and thereby improve coherence. This was discussed during the site visits. Examples might be: innovation systems, evolutionary processes, forms of transformation, the knowledge circulation process. QANU / Innovation Science: NW&I-UU and TeMa-TUE 19

21 Report on the degree courses offered by Utrecht University QANU / Innovation Science: NW&I-UU and TeMa-TUE 21

23 0 Introduction This report on the academic programme of Science and Innovation Management (NW&I) deals with the following degree courses: Bachelor of General Science (three years, started in 2002, CROHO 6982) Master of Science and Innovation Management (two years, started in 2003, CROHO 60709) These courses are offered by the Innovation and Environmental Sciences Education institute, which falls under the Department of Innovation and Environmental Sciences of Utrecht University s Faculty of Geosciences. The Faculty of Geosciences covers a broad spectrum and incorporates Earth Sciences, Physical and Human Geography, Innovation Studies, Environmental Science and Planning. This report is structured in accordance with the accreditation criteria as prescribed by the NVAO (Netherlands Flemish Accreditation Organisation). This report is based on an assessment of the period , in accordance with the assessment protocol of QANU. General evaluative remark As a general introductory remark the committee would like to stress that in the course of this evaluation we have become convinced that the programme is making excellent progress in achieving its highly demanding objectives: overcoming the obstacles of multidisciplinary research integrating the different fields of natural sciences and social sciences bridging theory and practice. In the period under evaluation, the programme has made a tremendous effort in conquering a niche in the research domain, and has used this successfully to strengthen the relationship between teaching and research in the programme. While the committee notes that there is room for further improvement, due to the high ambitions, it wishes also to acknowledge the achievements already made. The remarks and recommendations made in the following sections of this report must be seen in that light. QANU / Innovation Science: NW&I-UU and TeMa-TUE 23

25 1 Aims and objectives of the bachelor degree course 1.1 Domain-specific requirements Criterion: The final qualifications of the degree course correspond to the requirements made to a degree course in the relevant domain (field of study/discipline and/or professional practice) by colleagues in the Netherlands and abroad and the professional practice The mission of the programme under review was formulated in 1998: The degree programme focuses on the interplay between technological innovation based on a knowledge of natural sciences and the societal steering and implementation of that innovation. The programme aims at a minimum of 50% natural science or technology courses, in order to enable graduates to engage in critical dialogue with natural scientists and engineers. The mission statement was further specified in 2002: The NW&I degree programme is intended to equip students with a level of knowledge and package of skills enabling them to (for Master s students: independently) make a useful contribution to the processes of innovation taking place at the interface of national sciences and technology on the one hand and organisations and society as a whole on the other. The degree programme aims to enable the students to gain insight into the course of innovation processes in trade and industry and administrative processes in government and other organisations that serve society, in order that they may (for Master s students: independently) develop strategies for reducing managing uncertainties in the dynamics of these processes. The degree programme will therefore contribute to realising improved harmony between opportunities of natural sciences and technology and the wishes of organisations and society as a whole. This mission statement focuses on innovation management, because innovation processes at different levels of aggregation are mutually dependent, complex and only partially understood. The committee agrees that for a better understanding of these processes and of the possibilities for management, there is a need for people who can build bridges between what is scientifically and technologically feasible, and what is desired and feasible from an organisational and societal perspective. The committee notes that the management aspects in the programme are not specifically business oriented, but aim to cover the whole chain from macro to meso and micro perspectives, focusing on innovation systems. Innovation Science spans technological components and innovation components, and innovation management is the binding factor: the analysis of bottlenecks in the process of innovation, the opportunities for intervention. The following general learning goals are derived from the mission statement: 1. With respect to current knowledge development in the field of technological innovation processes, the graduates are capable of describing, explaining and evaluating theoretical concepts, paradigms and models used in that environment and the way they have been realized from their knowledge of natural sciences. QANU / Innovation Science: NW&I-UU and TeMa-TUE 25

26 2. The graduates are capable of designating, explaining, analysing and evaluating major examples in which the interplay between the development of natural sciences on the one hand and organizational and sociological development on the other are expressed in the field of the selected individual course programme. 3. The graduates are familiar with the major concepts, models and explanations in the field of innovation theory and are capable of making a well-reasoned choice for the analysis of a specified innovation issue. 4. The graduates are capable of an integrated application of knowledge relating to natural sciences and innovation theory for the analysis, design, implementation and evaluation of complex innovation processes and intervention mechanisms. 5. The graduates are familiar with the basic principles of and opportunities for applying relevant investigation methods and techniques in the field of innovation sciences and are capable of applying these methods and techniques during the design, execution and assessment of research in this field. 6. The graduates are familiar with the basic principles of and opportunities for applying evaluation methods and the associated criteria of natural sciences and innovation sciences and are capable of applying these methods and criteria in the field of the selected individual course programme. 7. The graduates are familiar with the methodologies for policy analysis, design, implementation and evaluation and project management and are capable of applying these methodologies to policy and management issues concerning innovation paths. 8. The graduates have the knowledge and skills for effective communication and working as a team. These learning goals are formulated in five core fields of NW&I: Natural sciences (including Mathematics) Innovation sciences (micro and macro) Research methods and techniques Individual course programme (application) in three tracks: Energy and Materials (E&M); Mobility and Infrastructure (M&I) or Medical Biotechnology (MBT) Skills (academic, communicative and professional) Further differentiation occurs over the years of the bachelor and master programme (see 1.2). In the master programme, the knowledge and skills basis is further developed into an advanced level, and the academic competencies are brought to the level of generating new scientific or practice-related knowledge and skills. The self-study states that NW&I differs from comparable degree programmes in the Netherlands by the fact that not only the analysis and explanation of innovation processes, but also the guidance of those processes ( innovation management ) is regarded as belonging to the field of knowledge. Compared to degree programmes abroad, NW&I is characterised by its multidisciplinary approach from both a micro and a macro perspective. Micro-innovation management focuses on the assessment and realization of viable technological options. Macro-innovation management focuses on science and technology policy as developed by national governments and the associated system of innovation. The committee has reservations concerning the connotations of the term innovation management in the title of the master programme. Here, the term is meant as in public management, and indicates that analysis leads to policy intervention. At other universities, innovation management usually entails detailed firm level analysis, including topics such as R&D man- 26 QANU / Innovation Science: NW&I-UU and TeMa-TUE

27 agement, new product development, internal and external corporate venturing, entrepreneurship, HRM for innovation. Utrecht does not and cannot claim to offer all that. As a result, the ambitions for micro-level management are and must be modest. The committee wonders whether misunderstanding concerning this may arise outside, among potential students, employers of graduates and colleague universities. The academic and professional domain of the NW&I programme is summarised in Appendix 1. The committee regards this as a good description that functions as an effective orientation for the programme design. Formal involvement of the professional field with the programme has not been organised, but there are many contacts with the field through the internships. Feedback that was picked up concerned the need for a greater emphasis on methodology, on ways of comparing, on technology assessment. This is now more prominent in the first year. The staff also participate in the policy networks concerning knowledge utilisation, innovation, etc. The committee suggests to formalize the involvement of the professional field in the programme. The committee remarks that what the programme is trying to achieve is very difficult: overcoming the obstacles for multidisciplinary research, integrating the different fields of natural sciences and social sciences, bridging theory and practice. The committee admires the courage to take on this challenge, and the progress that has been made since the 1997 review. The committee believes that the programme is on the way to success in achieving these goals. The committee believes that to further support the integration of natural sciences and social sciences in the programme, it might be helpful to agree on a bridging theory or concept, such as evolutionary economics, complexity, emergence. The committee appreciates the contacts with the professional field through the internships and through the (policy) networks of the staff, but a more explicit involvement of these contacts in the programme development might be helpful. The committee finds that the final qualifications of the degree course correspond to the requirements made to a degree course in the relevant academic or professional domain. The score for this facet is Good. 1.2 Level Criterion: The final qualifications of the degree course correspond to general, internationally accepted descriptions of the qualifications of a Bachelor or a Master The mission statement of NW&I differentiates between the qualifications of the bachelors and the masters by the degree of independence. This not only indicates that an MSc must be capable of applying the acquired knowledge and skills individually in scientific research or in a professional situation, but also of generating new scientific or practice-oriented knowledge and skills. The level of the final qualifications of the bachelor and master degree courses is not elaborated in terms of the Dublin descriptors, but the level in each phase is described by means of a differentiation of the learning goals per year: BSc-NW&I-1: introduction; elementary knowledge and skills BSc-NW&I-2: deepening; accumulation of theoretical knowledge and development of skills QANU / Innovation Science: NW&I-UU and TeMa-TUE 27

28 BSc-NW&I-3: application; acquiring knowledge and skills relating to the application of theoretical and developed skills in innovation management of practical situations MSc-NW&I-1: development; acquisition, combination and application of comprehensive theoretical knowledge and methodological and professionally-oriented skills MSc-NW&I-2: distinctive features: individual specialization on the basis of independent research (academically or professionally oriented) To realize the level of independence defined in the mission statement and learning outcome, the knowledge and skills basis of NW&I Master s students is developed to an advanced level during the first academic year of the MSc-NW&I. During the second academic year of the MSc-NW&I their individual academic distinctive features are trained to the level of generating new scientific or practice-related knowledge and skills. The committee has studied the programme characteristics that determine the bachelor level and has found these adequately defined and in accordance with international standards. Nevertheless the different levels of bachelor and master should be described more explicitly using the Dublin descriptors or similar internationally accepted methods. The committee finds that the level of the programme meets the criterion for accreditation. The score for this facet is Satisfactory. 1.3 Orientation Criteria: The final qualifications of the degree course correspond to the following descriptions of a Bachelor at universities: The final qualifications are based on requirements made by the academic discipline, the international academic practice and, if applicable to the course, the relevant practice in the prospective professional field A University (WO) bachelor possesses the qualifications that allow access to a minimum of one further University (WO) degree course at master s level as well as the option to enter the labour market. Paragraph 1.1 describes how the final qualifications are based on requirements made by the academic discipline, international academic practice, and relevant practice in the prospective professional field. The close links with the research programmes are mentioned in 2.1. The bachelor degree provides access to the university master degree course Science and Innovation Management. The committee has found that staff and students do not expect that the bachelor diploma will often be used for access to the labour market. The master phase is regarded as a necessary extra training, in terms of knowledge and independence. Their view is that this might change in the coming years. Stakeholders do seem to view the bachelor diploma as a possible exit point. The committee notes that this apparent difference of opinion is not uncommon, and the actual practice will show to what extent the bachelor diploma will be used and accepted as a valuable testimony on its own. Staff, students and employers might consider the possibilities of a temporary work experience after the bachelor programme, which could be helpful for focusing the choices for the master programme. The committee recommends that the Faculty takes this into consideration, in the light of possible adaptations in the bachelor programme. The committee finds that the orientation of the programme meets the criteria for accreditation. The score for this facet is Satisfactory. 28 QANU / Innovation Science: NW&I-UU and TeMa-TUE

29 2 Programme of the bachelor degree course General Science 2.1 Requirements for university degree courses Criteria: The programme meets the following criteria applicable to a degree programme at a University (WO): The students acquire knowledge on the interface between teaching and academic research within the relevant disciplines; The programme follows the developments in the relevant academic discipline(s), as it is demonstrated that it incorporates current academic theories; The programme ensures the development of skills in the field of academic research; For those courses for which this is applicable, the course programme has clear links with the current professional practice in the relevant professions. The Bachelor of Science programme General Science is a research-based programme. Expertise available at the Copernicus Institute provides a large part of the research support for the education. The research in the period of this Research Institute for Sustainable Development and Innovation was assessed by an external committee in June The overall judgement for the quality of the research was Very good to Excellent. The emphasis in both the BSc-NW&I and the MSc-NW&I programme lies in combining science and social science knowledge in order to make scientifically justifiable and useful analyses and recommendations regarding innovation management in the field of Energy and Materials (E&M); Mobility and Infrastructure (M&I) or Medical Biotechnology (MBT), with the aid of the acquired methods and techniques. 5 Students are given a broad orientation to innovation-theoretical models from organization theory, from economic theory and from institutional policy theory as well as methods and techniques for assessing technologies and investments. Generic methods and techniques are presented and students acquire basic investigative skills as well as the academic skills that enable them to transfer their knowledge adequately to other audiences. The research assignments in the tracks E&M, M&I and MBT are derived from the practical research experience of the lecturers within the Innovation sciences group, which means there is a strong link between education and research. 6 Professors head development teams, and there is an intention to develop joint publications. Theoretical models from current innovation literature are discussed in the cluster of innovation-theory modules (Theory of Innovation & Organisation TIO, Theory of Innovation Systems TIS, Economics of Technology & Innovation ETI), that enable students to determine and explain the causes and consequences of innovation and innovation behaviour. The programme contains two mandatory modules of 7.5 ECTS each on Research Methods (Methodology, Statistics, Systems Theory). The self-study states that at present the expertise available at the Copernicus Institute does not entirely cover the full range of research to support education for each of the tracks E&M, M&I and MBT. For E&M this concerns the materials aspect and (micro) product development. Within IW and the Copernicus Institute expertise in the field of energy mainly comprises a macro-perspective. 5 See 2.3 for a description of these tracks. 6 Extensive documentation about the research programmes of the Copernicus Institute has been provided to the committee. QANU / Innovation Science: NW&I-UU and TeMa-TUE 29

30 In the field of M&I, this mainly concerns the technical aspects of M&I; expertise is currently available in the field of traffic and transport economy and policy. In the field of MBT this primarily concerns expertise at the micro and macro level relating to the medical and pharmaceutical biotechnological practice of such issues as gene therapy and biopharmaceutical products. Expertise is currently available in the field of innovation sciences and (bio)chemistry with relation to MBT. The appointment of professors by special appointment ( linking-pin professors with a temporary limited appointment ) for these fields of expertise is under consideration in order to develop and safeguard the connections via PhD research with current research that are necessary for education. This PhD research should then focus particularly on the field of product innovation and development within R&D centres and companies concerning the application of (new) materials in combination with nanotechnology, products and process innovations relating to technical inventions in the field of traffic, transport and infrastructure development, and the practice within medical institutions and pharmaceutical companies with respect to innovations in the field of medical biotechnology. The committee finds that the programme has made a tremendous effort in conquering a niche in the research domain, and has used this successfully to strengthen the relationship between teaching and research in the programme. Of the current 19 PhD and postdoc positions, 11 are funded by NWO and STW, which is exceptionally high. The committee admires what has been achieved in such a short time. The committee finds that the programme meets the accreditation criteria for a university degree course. The score for this facet is Good. 2.2 Relationship between aims and objectives and contents of the programme Criteria: The course contents adequately reflect the final qualifications, both with respect to the level and orientation, and with respect to domain-specific requirements. The final qualifications have been translated adequately into learning targets for the programme or its components. The contents of the programme offer students the opportunity to obtain the final qualifications that have been formulated. The final qualifications have been translated adequately into learning targets for the programme and the individual courses (see 1.1). The self-study gives a detailed account of the relation between the desired final qualifications of the graduates and the individual course components. The committee notes that a clearly cumulative effect is achieved between the subjects. Theory of Systems of Innovation (TIS) gives a broad introduction to the discipline. Theory of Innovation and Organizations (TIO) or Economics of Technology and Innovation (ETI) focuses on specific, underlying theoretical aspects of micro and meso innovation issues. In the view of the committee, the course contents adequately reflect the final qualifications, both with respect to the level and orientation, and with respect to domain-specific requirements. The committee notes that further focusing of the theoretical approach to the micro level might be helpful; elements of organisational theory, marketing theory and human resources 30 QANU / Innovation Science: NW&I-UU and TeMa-TUE

31 theory have been nurtured, but there does not seem to be consensus among the staff about priorities in this respect. This is related to our general comment that micro-level innovation management entails more than is offered here. We are aware that there are limits to what can be offered, but attention to this issue, and consensus on how far one wants to go and what the priorities are, is recommended. The committee finds that the relationship between aims, objectives and contents of the programme meets the criteria for accreditation. The score for this facet is Satisfactory. 2.3 Coherence of the programme Criterion: Students follow a programme of study that is coherent in its contents. The coherence in the programme is realised to a large extent by the mandatory modules (60 ECTS) that contain the core of the body of knowledge of Innovation sciences, and by the focus provided in the optional modules (75 ECTS). For the optional modules, students choose one of three fields in which society can expect many innovations in natural science and technology in the decades to come: Energy and Materials; Mobility and Infrastructure; Medical Biotechnology. This choice enables students to apply their theoretical and methodological knowledge in a specific technological and sectoral area. In the view of the Department, there is a limit to the degree to which innovation and innovative behaviour can be discussed in general terms. These three preferential clusters of optional natural-science modules make it easier for students to orientate themselves towards their chosen professional fields. The committee shares this view. All modules are categorised in one of three levels. To gain access to Level 2 and higher of the natural-science modules, students must first complete the Level 1 modules from their present study package. The preferred combinations in the three bachelor tracks are: Energy and Materials (E&M): Physics 1 and 2, and Chemistry 1 and 2 (30 ECTS credits); CIT Applications (E&M), Global Change and Sustainability, Optimization of Energy flows, and Energy analysis (30 ECTS credits). Mobility and Infrastructure (M&I): Physics 1 and 2, and Chemistry 1 and 2 (30 ECTS credits); CIT Applications (M&I), Introduction to Mobility and Infrastructure, Large-scale Projects Workshop, and Innovations in Transport systems Seminar (30 ECTS credits). Medical Biotechnology (MBT): Biology 1 and 2, and Chemistry 1 and 2 (30 ECTS credits); CIT Applications (MBT), Introduction to Medicine, DNA technology, and Management of Biopharmaceutical Innovations (30 ECTS credits). These combinations are developed to provide optimal qualifications for admission to the NW&I Master s degree programme, in which these tracks are continued. The committee finds this approach a good way of securing coherence between the bachelor and master programmes. QANU / Innovation Science: NW&I-UU and TeMa-TUE 31