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: jwilson@orkestra.deusto.esSlideshare: jamierwilson

@jamierwilson