Smart specialisation in regions with less-developed research and innovation systems: A changing role for universities?

Abstract

Universities and other knowledge institutions have quickly come to be seen as central to smart specialisation. However, their exact role in Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation (RIS3) has yet to receive much critical attention in the academic literature. This is particularly notable as defining features of smart specialisation-such as the entrepreneurial dynamic of the strategy-formation process, and differentiated nature of the goals for strategies in regions with varying research and innovation capabilitiesrepresent challenges to the notion that public research organisations should be drivers of smart specialisation in all regions. This paper articulates these conceptual tensions and then explores how they are unfolding in practice with particular reference to regions with less-developed research and innovation systems. The empirical material is drawn from a European-wide survey of institutional factors affecting the implementation of RIS3 and two regional case studies from Central and Eastern Europe. Overall the paper reveals a multifaceted picture of still emerging (and potentially conflicting) dynamics around the introduction of smart specialisation that have the potential to reconfigure the role of universities in regional innovation systems in Europe.

Bridging the chasm? Exploring the effect of the University Context on Knowledge Exchange

“…Universities are expected to act as economic engines (Christopherson and Clark, 2010) although the legal frameworks, funding and funding mechanisms are often absent (Franco and Haase, 2015). This political ambition is also in particular evident on a European level with a stronger focus on interaction in Horizon Europe and the introduction of Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3) into Cohesion policy (Kempton et al, 2014, Vallance et al, 2018.…”

Vysoké školy v strednej a východnej Európe –štrukturálne a priestorové aspekty

“…Postavenie univerzít v regionálnych inovačných systémoch sa však zmenilo v procese vstupu do EU, v rámci ktorého sa pod tlakom európskych politík objavili prvé iniciatívy zamerané na komercializáciu a transfer znalostí a začali sa budovať zodpovedajúce inštitúcie na univerzitách (Žížalová a Čadil 2012). Prípadové štúdie tiež ukázali, že pre menej rozvinuté regióny je významne dôležitejšia transformácia vzdelávacích programov než samotný výskum (Vallance et al 2017). Pre tieto regióny sú potrebné aktivity, ktoré reflektujú potreby lokálneho trhu práce tak aby doplnili chýbajúce kvalifikácie alebo rozvíjali špecifické zručnosti.…”

Problems of Strategic Development of Regions of Ukraine Using Smart Specialization Concept

“…This is the focus of R. Capello, H. Kroll [9]. Discussions on the role of universities and other institutions of knowledge as drivers of reasonable specialization in all regions, including the regions with different scientific and innovative capabilities are led by P. Vallance, J. Blažek, J. Edwards, V. Květoň [10]. Scientists emphasize that in the context of the formation and implementation of Smart specialization strategies in Europe, the role of universities in regional innovation systems is increasing.…”