Higher Education Excellence and Local Economic Development: The Case of the Entrepreneurial University of Twente

Abstract

By tradition or intellectual necessity, universities pursue a main objective: increasing and transferring knowledge that is internationally relevant for the whole of mankind. But new powerful socioeconomic forces are demanding universities to be engaged in regional economic development and their knowledge to be relevant in terms of local employment, university spin-offs and growth. These two objectives are traditionally considered as not complementary or even mutually exclusive. Through a case study regarding the Dutch University of Twente, this article shows that local economic relevance and international excellence are not incompatible objectives: they were not at the University of Twente; they can be reached even in a new born and poor endowed university, located in a peripheral, depressed and not industrialized countryside. This article argues that a strong entrepreneurial vision and the adoption of a different concept of knowledge may be the key for other small and peripheral European universities, in order to reach both local economic relevance and international excellence. The article will contribute and enrich the regional studies debate, introducing to it some higher education policy issues and ideas.

The Impact of Education and R&D Investment on Regional Economic Growth

“…Education subsidies were not found to accumulate human capital in an open economy system [36]. Other empirical studies found that physical capital formation [37], education quality [38,39], industrial structure [40] and agglomeration [41] served as major pulling factors to attract a well-educated worker. Land price [40,42] and living costs [38,40] negatively influenced concentration on human capital in regions.…”

The Great Lakes Regional College as an Engine for Development: Its Impact and Prospect

“…The diverse variables in the relationship between a higher education institution and its hosting environment inevitably invites challenges caused by conflicting roles amid different missions, as reflected in some case studies (Aligaweesa, 1987;Lazzeretti and Tavoletti, 2005). Aligaweesa (1987) notes that the Makerere University in Uganda has been struggling between two contradictory paths: fulfilling the traditional educational role to transmit academic knowledge, and attempting to be relevant to rural development as to address local needs.…”

“…Conversely, the University of Twente in the Netherlands represents a successful example in which the higher education institution effectively plays multiple roles at the same time (Lazzeretti and Tavoletti, 2005). The university adopts the concept of "entrepreneurial universities" proposed by Clark (1998) and proves that local economic relevance and international academic excellence are not mutually exclusive features (Lazzeretti and Tavoletti, 2005). Defined by Clark (1998), an entrepreneurial university is good at expanding a developmental periphery, establishing a diversified funding base, and stimulating an academic heartland.…”

“…In actuality, little adaptation of course programs has been made to increase the university's relevance to its local context. Conversely, the University of Twente in the Netherlands represents a successful example in which the higher education institution effectively plays multiple roles at the same time (Lazzeretti and Tavoletti, 2005). The university adopts the concept of "entrepreneurial universities" proposed by Clark (1998) and proves that local economic relevance and international academic excellence are not mutually exclusive features (Lazzeretti and Tavoletti, 2005).…”

Driving Industry Growth through Academic Excellence: A Study on the Strategic Contribution of University-Industry Knowledge Transfer in Revamping Manufacturing SMEs in Developing Economies

“…It has been largely propounded that we are now living in the knowledge-based society in which knowledge has indeed become the strategic source of generating innovation capacities for firms to maintain sustainable competitive advantages in the fast changing business environment (Lambooy, 2004;Lazzeretti and Tavoletti, 2005). Universites have never commanded such an increasing attention from the industry.…”