Academic Institutions as Change Agents for Territorial Development
Mari J. Aranguren*José M. Guibert**
Jesús M. Valdaliso***James R. Wilson*
* Orkestra-Basque Institute of Competitiveness and Deusto Business School** University of Deusto
*** The University of the Basque Country
Presented at the Workshop ‘Entrepreneutial University, Engaged Industry & Active Government: Triple Helix Opportunities’, University of Surrey, 29-30 May 2014
Motivation
• Academic institutions are being asked to play more strategic roles in actively shaping socioeconomic development processes at regional level
• This takes us beyond a focus on science & technology in knowledge transfer or the broad economic impact of universities
• It highlights a new set of challenges that are particularly relevant for the ‘softer’ disciplines
• We analyse these questions through a case study of ‘academic institutional entrepreneurship’: Orkestra-Basque Institute of Competitiveness
What is the potential for academic institutions to become change agents for territorial development?
And what challenges do they face in doing so?
Structure
1. Changing roles of universities and academics2. Methodology3. Territorial context: The Basque Country4. The case of Orkestra5. Conclusions and challenges for academic
institutions and social scientists
• Interest in the role of universities in territorial socioeconomic development processes has intensified in the context of globalisation & a rise in regional studies
• This role is central to concepts such as the triple helix, clusters & systems of innovationo Etzkowitz & Leydesdorff (1997); Porter (1990); Freeman (1987); Cooke
et al. (1998)
• The move of universities ‘closer to society’ has taken various forms, predominantly within a market frameo More effective transfer of knowledge to business sector o Attempts to quantify direct and indirect economic ‘impacts’ of
universities
Universities & socioeconomic
development
But there is also recognition of scope for a more developmental role in shaping territorial strategy
• Universities committed to regional economic development & actively shaping networks of knowledge & innovation (Uyarra, 2010)
• Two key roles (Drabenstott, 2008)1. Diagnostic: Academic analysis of the competitive position of regions and
their advantages2. Alignment: Conduct research focused on the needs and challenges of
regional competitiveness
• The current European regional policy focus on Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation (RIS3) identifies strategic roles for universities (Foray & Van Ark, 2008; Foray et al., 2012; Goddard et al. 2013) o Participate in entrepreneurial processes of discovery & RIS3 design o Provide external connections & access to foreign sources of knowledgeo Match research capabilities with emerging regional prioritieso Maintain a tension between research of international academic excellence
and research oriented to specific regional needs
A more strategic role for universities
Methodology
• To study this developmental role in regional environments context is all important, which suggests the appropriateness of case studies
• Sources for the case of Orkestra:o In depth semi-structured interviews with 18 individuals actively involved in the
creation of Orkestra and its subsequent development (conducted by the external co-author)
o A closed survey sent to 38 key actors in the Basque society (universities, technological centres, policy-makers, economic development agencies)
o Other sources of information: Annual Reports, Minutes of the Board of Directors, research publications…
• Combination of quantitative (scientific production and other ‘hard’ indicators of teaching and interacting activities) and qualitative information
• Triangulation, contrast and discussion
• 2.2 million people• GDP per capita in top 5% of
European regions
• An old industrial region• 22% manufacturing share of
GDP
• Successful economic transformation over last thirty years, based on a strong regional innovation system (OECD, 2011)
• 2.1% of GDP spent on R&D
• High level of policy autonomy• Complex institutional structure
Context: The Basque Country
• Teaching-focused & poorly situated in global rankings • Clear improvement in research inputs and outputs
over last 10 years (patents, spin offs, scientific publications)
• Third mission under-developed, but recent initiatives
The Basque Universities A weak link?
University of the Basque Country
• Public• Third mission
advanced by recent Euskampus project
Deusto University
• Private (Jesuit)• Third mission
advanced by 2004 establishment of Deusto Foundation
Mondragon University
• Private (Co-op)• Third mission
integrated in cooperative origins
• New research centre, created from scratch in 2006 within an old university, with a funding system and governance structure different from that of traditional academic institutions in the Basque/Spanish systemo Mix of public-private-university funding on a long-term basiso Managed like a firm (board of directors, general manager, advisory
board)
• Inception influenced by personal convictions of key players & by Porter’s work on the role of universities/ research centres in promoting regional competitivenesso Example of institutional entrepreneurship (Sotarauta, 2011, Karlsen et
al, 2012)
Case: Orkestra - Basque Institute of
Competitiveness
ORIGINAL MISSIONTo support through research, teaching, prospection, technical assistance, evaluation, discussion and participation in international networks of excellence, the activity of the public administration, socio-economic agents and all the universities of the Basque Country in fields related to competitiveness
Direction &
Support
Territory, innovatio
n and clusters
Entrepre-
neurship
Strategy
Energy
• Public & private stakeholder funding with university backing, for first four years (around €2m per year)
• From 2010 onwards, competitive funding more and more important (today circa 50%)
• 15-26 researchers & 10-12 supporting staff
Orkestra – Structure & Funding
Frontier of Knowledge on Regional Competitiveness
Impact on the actual
competitiveness of the Basque Country and
contributions to the frontier of knowledge on
regional competitiveness
Actual competitiveness state of the Basque Country
Research
Teaching
Interactio
n
1. Equilibrium basic funded and competitive projects2. Equilibrium international and local projects3. Positive tension between problem-focused processes & academic
writing
Orkestra – Model guiding activities
• An increasingly international research but oriented to the needs of the region
• Activities include a bi-annual assessment of the competitive position of the Basque Country
• A ratio of publications per researcher that notably outscores that of Deusto University, and that of the University of the Basque Country in social sciences, arts and humanities
Orkestra – Academic research
• Mainly post-graduate: executive courses (e.g. MOC), masters and doctoral programs
• Non-university training to stakeholders
Orkestra – Teaching
• Interaction with the main socioeconomic agents of the region
• Proactive role in the regional knowledge and policy network
• An extremely time-consuming and demanding activity (it pays off in a medium-long term)
Orkestra – Interaction
1. It has provided a ‘common language’ for competitiveness and has fostered a shared vision of the competitive challenges of the country among the different agents – a ‘bridge builder’
2. It has offered academic analysis of the competitive position of the Basque country and its main challenges
3. It has had important input in the development and evaluation of the cluster policy and other policy plans of the Basque government, and has been able to become a key advisory institution for different levels of government without losing its independence
4. It has been able to carry out academic research of increasing international quality and relevance, which has also served to diffuse the Basque experience
5. Spillovers between research, teaching and interacting have lead to the development of new roles for academics (as social researchers) and new methodologies (action research)
Orkestra’s role in regional change
• Orkestra appears to be fulfilling the roles of diagnostic & research alignment in a proactive way that is engaged with the region’s needs
• In the context of RIS3, for example, it is responding to Goddard et al.’s roles
• As a change agent in the field of regional competitiveness meeting three challenges have and continue to be critical:
1. How to guarantee continuity (stable funding)2. How to manage the creative tensions that emerge:
o Between the different needs of stakeholders:o Between research & interaction (a time-consuming activity) o Between regional needs & participation in global networks
3. How to develop capabilities of ‘social researchers’, able to facilitate change processes & reflect on them rigorously
Conclusions … and challenges
Thanks, gracias, eskerrik asko!
• With particular acknowledgements to:o Patricia Canto (Orkestra) for her help in quantitative assessment of
Orkestra between 2006 and 2012o MINECO (Grant HAR2012-30948) and the Basque Government (Grant
IT807-13) for financial support
Email: [email protected]: jamierwilson
@jamierwilson