Maria Helena Nazaré

President of EUA

Former Rector Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal.

The importance of Third Mission activities in European

Universities

The International Context: Demographics (and other challenging) Issues

Political Economy of Universities. (Political Economics is

an interdisciplinary field focusing on the non-market, collective activity of individulas and organisations)

Making the Knowledge Triangle Work: Ensuring that the University has a Positive Impact on the Region.

Economy

&

Jobs creation

Research Education

Third Mission Activities

Act together

Over the next decade the percentage of the population over the age of 60 will grow to over 30% to 40% in the U.S., Europe, and parts of Asia. Ageing populations present workforce challenges (qualification) and need higher support from the public purse (health and pensions).

Global disparities in wealth and economic opportunity are driving population migration, resulting in growing immigrant and minority populations that both diversify and challenge existing cultures, economies, and politics. (Education)

The gap between the very rich and the very poor is widening. Better and stronger policies for improvement of social inclusion and cohesion are needed.

Demographics: (It’s happening NOW!)

…5…

Concerns (Glion 2011) Economic, geopolitical, and demographic forces could drive a massive restructuring of higher education enterprise, similar to what is experienced by other sectors (banking, communication, energy).

Movement toward a revenue-driven, market-responsive higher education system since there is no way that our current tax systems can support both massification and quality in the face of other needs (e.g., of the elderly).

Market forces are rapidly overwhelming public policy and public investment in determining the future course of higher education

Universities: Key stakeholders in building an

inclusive knowledge society

Educating knowledge workers and researchers Diverse missions in basic and collaborative research Interdisciplinary research skills and expertise Embeddedness in cities and regions as components of

social and economic development Focal points for dialogue and knowledge exchange with

society International cooperation building upon institutional

historical and cultural links – strengths and capacities

Need to dramatically broaden participation in higher education to build a competitive workforce. Tertiary and Pos Graduate. Continuing and Life Long. Integrate minorities and build inter generational bridges. A pillar for regional development.

Build world-class research Universities. Competition for brains is getting tougher. Need to examine the rationale. Cream needs milk.

Maintain parity of esteem among HE Institutions. Are there cases of same umbrella Institution?

Challenges to Systems and Institutions

Can it be done? YES

Is it easy? NO

Needed Tools:• Vision• Leadership• Institutional Autonomy• Sustainable Funding

Correlations (may be shown!?) between autonomy andperformance

quality

degrees of income diversification

successful internationalisation

Institutional autonomyenables universities to determine and pursue strategic priorities according to their strengths;

does not automatically lead to better performance but is an important requisite.

Why Institutional Autonomy?

is a complex concept that consists of various interconnected elements: Organisational, financial, academic and staffing.

is contingent on the diverse cultural, political, legal and historical backgrounds of Europe’s HE systems;

cannot be measured objectively.

There is not just one model! It is context depend.

Leadership is essential

Institutional Autonomy? What is it?

Divergence between practical and formal autonomy. Often times is not the case of NOT having Autonomy, but lacking to use it.

Need of a new set of skills and competences in leadership

and management.

The level of Autonomy has increased over the last decade. However austerity measures have affected negatively sttafing and financial autonomy.

Challenges

Funding Trends: state of playOn average, almost ¾ of universities’ funding comes fromnational/regional public funding sources

73%

9%

6%3%

5%4%

Public funding (national and regional)

Student contributions

Funding coming from contracts with business sector

International public funding

Philanthropic funding

Service-related income

OECD Conference

Higher Education in Cities and Regions. PORTUGAL; AVEIRO

Economy: The region centre represents 20% of the national GDP. Major sectors are tourism, ceramics, food, electronics & telecomunications, shoes, automobile parts and metalomechanics. SME’s mainly plus a few multinationals. The Aveiro lagoon (Ria de Aveiro) is of great importance in the economy of the region.

Higher Education: HE is binary system made of University and of Politechnic Education.

Minho

UTAD

Porto

Aveiro

Coimbra UBI

Évora

Lisboa

Algarve

Madeira

Açores

UTL UNL

We can afford diversity within!

Despite the odds?!

We are now a well reputed university integrating university departments and politechnic schools with excellent performance research wise and catering (2012/2013) for 14768 students.

Aberta

Strategic selection of scientific domains

1970’s

Telecommunications.

Materials Science

Teacher Training

Environmental Sciences

& Engineering. Regional

Planning

Biotechnology

Biomedical Sciences

Nanosciences

Medicine (à la Imperial)

Regional Impact

CTT, PT… Telecom cluster

Ceramics. Tiles, China and pottery

Integration of migrants, LLL,…

The Lagoon and the Coastal area.

Tourism, sustainable devellopment, biodiversity….

Food

etc

Leading the Change

UA model incorporates University

Departments and Polytechnic Schools

(1st school in 1997). Strong support from

the region.

In 2003 the needs of the region in terms

of qualification of the work force, were

discussed. A programme aimed at post-

secondary education was started. Now

run by the Polytechnic Schools. Strongly

supported by the Business, District and

Municipalities.

EDUCATION (Fighting unemployment; Retraining actives; integrating

migrants)

School of Design and Technology – ESAN.

School of Technology and Management –

ESTGA. School of Health – ESSA. Institute

of Accountancy – ISCAA

Ovos Moles – traditional

Aveiro sweets

cicecotema i3n

aveiro institute of nanotechnology

professors 8researchers 20posdocs 20phd 67

professors 54researchers 29posdocs 84phd 108

professors 35researchers 8posdocs 17phd 40

1) U Cambridge 2) Imperial College3) U Manchester4) EPFL5) U Pierre & Marie Curie 6) ETH 7) TU Denmark 8) U Groningen9) TU Delft10) TU Eindhoven11) Karlsruhe IT12) U Oxford 13) U Sheffield14) U Aveiro

~ 490

Citations Materials Sciences

THANK YOU!