†Assistant professor of Marketing at the Olin Business school, Washington University in St louis 1 1 Introduction
Oncioiu Ionica, Titu Maiorescu University Bucharest ionicaoncoiu@yahoo. ro, Romania Small firms are big business in the aid of economic development.
the research institutes, the research departments of universities, and research departments of the companies Literature review and theoretical background
Washburn University, 1700 SW College ave, Topeka, KS 66621, USA Increasingly, innovation in new products/services and the implementation of key pro
University of Chicago Press Kish, L. 1994. Multipopulation survey designs. International Statistical Review, 62, 167†186
Babson College Mccann, JE, Leon-Guerrero, AY, & Haley, JD. 2001). ) Strategic goals and practices of innovative family businesses
Whoever among firms, higher education institutes, public research centres, members of the civil society, or any other local actor is suited best to facilitate the †discovery†of
Quality of Government (Qog) index developed by the Quality of Government Institute of the University of
component of (1) the employed population with tertiary education in region i,(2) long-term unemployment as a percentage of total unemployment,(3) the percentage of the regional labour force employed in the
and universities in joint projects exploring prospects for related variety in the regional economy. Collaborative leadership is developed by inducing participants to share their
tertiary education 0. 117***0. 136 ***0. 0402)( 0. 0406 Long-term unemployment-0. 0774**-0. 0658
tertiary education, Unemployment rate, Employment in high tech industry, Agricultural Employment 14 Table 2 Robust fixed Effects estimation-Innovation and Qog components, 1995-2009
and networks with various sorts of partners, e g. universities and research institutes suppliers, complementary partners, competitors, peers, clients, and individual inventors
students at the University of Arts as well as independent artists) and a management team that is in charge of commercialization, e g. taking photos of the artwork, uploading the
complementors, such as the universities but also on effectively retaining talent: â€oethe University of Arts is simply a facilitator in this situation (helping
me expand this project overlooking the young artists†education and supplying further talent. The goal is to find
with universities for new product/service development as well how the owner/manager†s motivation acts as a binding element between the different parties involved
i e. universities and research institutes, suppliers, complementary partners, competitors, peers, clients, and individual inventors. From this figure we can infer that the preferred OI partners (in terms of
clients and universities when it came to feeding their internal innovation processes with new information.
Hasselt University Lasagni, A. 2012. How can external relationships enhance innovation in SMES? New evidence for Europe
The role of universities in Smart Specialisation Strategies E u A p U B L I C a T I O N s 2 0 1 4
Copyright 2014 Â by the European University Association All rights reserved. This information may be used freely and copied for noncommercial
purposes, provided that the source is acknowledged ( European University Association European University Association asbl Avenue de l†Yser 24
1040 Brussels, Belgium Tel:++32-2 230 55 44 Fax:++32-2 230 57 51
The role of universities in Smart Specialisation Strategies E u A p U B L I C a T I O N s 2 0 1 4
THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN SMART SPECIALISATION STRATEGIES Contents 4 Foreword 5 Preface: European Policy Context 6
3. University responses to the questions set in advance of the workshop †main points 12
cooperation in research and innovation activities offered by invited university participants 22 Contents 5 REPORT ON JOINT EUA-REGIO/JRC SMART SPECIALISATION PLATFORM EXPERT WORKSHOP:
THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN SMART SPECIALISATION STRATEGIES Maria Helena Nazarã EUA President Fostering the engagement of Europe†s universities in Smart Specialisation
Strategies for research and innovation activities and skills development in European union regional policy is a major priority activity for our Association
We need to fully mobilise the capacities of Europe†s universities to contribute to regional economic and
makers and university leaders to discuss the role of universities and the best practices in place across
ground-breaking expert meeting held in Seville involving leaders from universities and regional bodies who made a set of recommendations drawing upon existing best practices in collaborative activities
recognition to the critical role that Europe†s universities must play and the challenge involved in doing so
For Europe†s universities, most importantly, their education and training capacities should be crucially linked to research and innovation activities,
with universities mobilising these capacities to provide input to the development of Smart Specialisation Strategies at the design stage together with the regional
including universities and national and regional authorities, to be held in Brussels in 2014, to present and debate new â€oeguidelines†for regional
-university cooperation in Smart Specialisation Strategies with the objective to inform future implementation of EU Structural/Regional Funds
THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN SMART SPECIALISATION STRATEGIES Máire Geoghegan-Quinn European Commissioner for Research
Universities are increasingly called upon to adjust their work, both in terms of research activities and human capital development,
If universities take active steps in this direction the knowledge and talents they generate will be of even greater value
relationship with universities in the EU. Universities, represented by the European University Association EUA), play a pivotal role as a bridge between the EC and the European academic community
In February 2013 the S3 Platform and EUA organised a joint workshop on the role of universities in Smart
Specialisation, bringing together regional policy makers and senior university managers. The event highlighted that collaboration between academics, business and policy makers, particularly at regional
level, is critical to closing the gap between theory and practice in planning and implementing RIS3.
Universities have a critical role in innovation. The role of universities in stimulating innovation is
indisputable. Excellence must be promoted throughout Europe to create and sustain industrial leadership and to address today†s challenges across disciplines
THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN SMART SPECIALISATION STRATEGIES policies is therefore crucial. To best exploit the scientific potential of the EU requires a strategic vision and
One of the key messages underscored in the pursuit of RIS3 is untapped the often potential of universities
the general operational costs of universities †the main source of financing for universities will continue
Universities can be crucial â€oesmart†players and the collaboration between the JRC, DG REGIO and EUA is a critical step to exploit their
provides an opportunity for universities to be engaged constructively, together with other stakeholders including the private sector, in identifying areas of potential specialisation in regions and Member States
THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN SMART SPECIALISATION STRATEGIES Maria da Graã§a Carvalho Member of the European parliament
Universities and higher education institutions have a central role to play in furthering Smart Specialisation Strategies and, in the process, building bridges between Horizon 2020
about how best to involve universities and institutions of higher education in the process of furthering Smart Specialisation and building the two-way bridges of which I have spoken above
9 REPORT ON JOINT EUA-REGIO/JRC SMART SPECIALISATION PLATFORM EXPERT WORKSHOP: THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN SMART SPECIALISATION STRATEGIES
There was an agreement that universities and regional authorities have a unique opportunity to form close
partnerships that, together with industry and other stakeholders, can maximise the use of EU Structural
universities, it is vital that there is more clarity on how they can benefit from the Structural Funds and how to
•recognition of the role of universities as a key partner in taking forward successful Smart Specialisation
which should include the unique contribution of universities •active promotion and publication of Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation (RIS3
•creation of opportunities for the alignment of university research portfolios to RIS3 priorities, including
universities •better alignment of timelines for the different stakeholders (universities, regional authorities and other
external actors •development of appropriate instruments for synergy opportunities in competitive/structural funding with respect to:
maximising use of generated knowledge through university-business dialogue and deployment of knowledge in both technological and social innovation
local firms and universities to work collaboratively; and •ensuring the sustainability of Smart Specialisation Strategies beyond the structural funding timeframe
Universities should be recognised as a vital partner for regions in the design and implementation of successful
Universities can benefit from Structural Funds for research and innovation (R&i) activities if they reach
THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN SMART SPECIALISATION STRATEGIES On 21 and 22 february 2013 at the premises of the European commission Joint Research Centre, the
universities with experience of cooperation in research and innovation debated the potential roles that universities could play to enhance their contribution in developing
and implementing national/regional â€oesmart Specialisation Strategies†(RIS3. This in turn would help to maximise the use of EU regional funds
member states plus Norway, including university rectors and vice-rectors, and high-level representatives from regional bodies responsible for developing and implementing R&i strategies.
EUA nominated university experts through consultations with its â€oecollective†members, the national rectors†conferences, who selected experts with experience of
encouraging the development, in a cost-efficient way, of research cooperation with universities (†twinningâ€
THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN SMART SPECIALISATION STRATEGIES The specific objectives of the workshop were
partnerships in research and innovation with universities in the future programming period of EU European Regional Development Funds (ERDF), the European Social Fund (ESF) and Horizon 2020
•to gauge the level of knowledge and preparation among universities on the potential use of EU
•to prepare for a conference to disseminate the results of the workshop among university leaders
To universities 1) How important are EU Structural and Social Funds in your university†s overall research and innovation
1) How have worked you with local universities to exploit their knowledge for regional development goals
4) Have local universities been involved in planning for the future programming period of EU Structural
THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN SMART SPECIALISATION STRATEGIES ERDF and ESF funds are significant and important for many universities in less-developed regions.
But their investment is aimed often at short-term rather than long-term goals. Physical buildings and infrastructure
This might be enhanced by greater dialogue at the outset with universities Often the local managing authorities of the Structural Funds (both ERDF and ESF) do not see themselves as
For universities to access Structural Funds, they are confronted with a demanding and burdensome framework of administrative processes and rules that are difficult to navigate and meet.
hand, legal and administrative competencies in universities need further support and strengthening both through the universities†own initiatives and as a recognised eligible use of the Structural Funds
by universities of interregional research and innovation activities (both within one country and for cross
Measures for the further enhancement of mutual understanding between universities and regional authorities and agencies of their respective roles, contributions, opportunities and constraints are required
University culture of merit, assessment and evaluation needs to recognise more the value of collaborative
for universities to provide the required match funds (â€oeco-fundingâ€) at the appropriate size. This reflects
the reality that universities have limited â€oeown funds†for R&i activities and have to raise the substantial
3 University responses to the questions set in advance of the workshop †main points 1 3
THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN SMART SPECIALISATION STRATEGIES There is often a problem of matching regional policy goals/needs with the present skills and training
capacities in local universities (leading to regional authorities going elsewhere to meet these needs Hence consultancies, think tanks and other intermediate bodies, both private and public/private, are a
Universities have vested interests in their research and innovation activities that are often independent of their regional contexts †the challenge therefore is to marry the â€oecuriosity-driven†research interests of
universities with the â€oedemand-driven†R&i interests of regional authorities The fostering of â€oetriple helix†R&i collaborations is initiated
and undertaken by all actors †universities governments (national and regional) and external partners (industry small and large, intermediate
development strategies with university research expertise and interests. In this context, several regions participating such as Lubelskie (PL), Ostrobothnia (FI), Västerbotten and Värmland (SE) have worked with
their local universities to design the regional RIS3 4 Regional actors†responses to the questions set in advance
THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN SMART SPECIALISATION STRATEGIES The debate demonstrated clearly how the experiences of the use of Structural Funds for R&i activities varied
and that the different profiles, structures and missions of both the universities and the regional authorities determined this,
dialogue between the regional authorities and universities/HEIS in the region was crucial in reaching both
universities tend to speak of â€oeresearch†and regional authorities of â€oeinnovation and developmentâ€. In general also, innovation is seen too often in solely technology-driven terms with less focus on the importance of
University participants felt that the future challenge for ERDF and ESF funds lies in achieving the transition
from basic research to RTD impact which requires time and the building of trust between university and
In the German region of North Rhine-Westphalia, the University of Siegen had invested years of effort
Other universities, such as University of Warsaw, concurred with this view that there was a shortage of funding for building such cooperation
dialogue between the authorities and universities leading to medium-to long-term strategic cooperation (e g Värmland, Sweden, creation of university chairs;
Puglia, Italy, funding of â€oeinnovation Alliances†and vouchers for university â€oespin-off†companies. But these were probably â€oeexceptions to the ruleâ€, so to speak, when looking
across European regions as a whole. Hence there was consensus that future â€oecommon guidelines†for RIS3 policy could be built valuably on such good practices for wider dissemination and â€oetake-upâ€
activities between universities and regional authorities. There were many examples of such agencies operating across European countries in previous programming periods of the Structural Funds.
THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN SMART SPECIALISATION STRATEGIES very important to retain direct contact and dialogue between regional authorities and universities (at the
level of both individual university leaders and regional associations of universities The principal â€oetake-home†message of the debate was that there was clearly no â€oeone-size-fits-all†approach
as Europe†s regions needed different types of cooperation reflecting their specific contexts. But â€oecommon
cooperation between universities and regional authorities; coordination achieved between national policy and regional policy and funding instruments;
a) Universities need to be considered and understood in a holistic way Universities should be seen in a holistic way,
including their three main missions: teaching and education research and creation of knowledge, regional and social development.
Universities are also important to build networks, connections etc. and are anchor institutions in their regions
Universities are not only about teaching and research but about knowledge in general, in any field However, it is important to highlight the enormous differences between disciplines,
important when considering the contribution of universities to regional development. For example, the connection between universities and regions has traditionally been more natural for applied sciences
Universities need to define their research portfolio and needs and map their research capacities accordingly
It is important to note that not all skills are meant to contribute to regional development.
Several reflections were offered about how universities can deal with the three missions. One option could
However, universities can contribute to regional goals in many different ways, including •research and innovation:
THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN SMART SPECIALISATION STRATEGIES There are many different resources within universities that can be mobilised to help achieve these
objectives, some of which are better known than others. The relationship between the university and its region should be of mutual gain
if it is to work. Universities can benefit not only from the receipt of EU Structural Funds,
but on a more strategic level through market-driven education, commercially relevant research and connectedness with enterprises and local authorities, all of which raise the profile of the
university, increase student numbers as well as provide alternative forms of revenue in an increasingly challenging financial climate
The potentially large contribution of universities to the non-technological needs of the region was also
and universities should recognise this effort and include it in their assessment exercises and in promotion criteria
c) Smart Specialisation as a new opportunity for collaboration between universities and regions The new emphasis on innovation strategies for Smart Specialisation in the EU provides a great opportunity
for many universities to engage with regional development issues that, for a number of institutional
Many regions as well as the universities participating in the workshop clearly signalled their recognition of the need and their willingness to embrace the involvement of universities in regional development
initiatives The opportunities for regional cooperation vary across the countries, depending on specific national contexts, but also geographic and institutional factors.
For example, universities located in less-developed regions have a particularly crucial role to play because of the low levels of institutional capacity that are
The point is that all universities can contribute to Smart Specialisation partnerships but some to a greater extent than others with regard to the different regional objectives
universities can play a role in analysing the regional needs and opportunities from an independent
Finally, universities are under pressure to specialise as well in terms of teaching and research, and the Smart Specialisation Strategy
formation process provides a window of opportunity to better align university and regional priorities In this context, the main challenges for universities are
•rationalisation of the course portfolio and research capabilities of universities to match with industry
demands and regional priorities •universities have to find their place in the European/national innovation ecosystem †to provide the
expertise at a given stage of innovation where they have strength and capability d) Obstacles to universities†involvement in regional partnerships
THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN SMART SPECIALISATION STRATEGIES •Higher education policies are defined usually without regional/local concerns (i e. at national level
•Regional governmentsâ€/authorities†culture: partnerships with universities may be seen as risky due to unclear benefits of the outcomes and/or due to the long-term nature of the investment that the
partnership requires compared to the shorter-term periods/cycles of governments •Competition or lack of alignment between national and regional political and policy objectives and
strategies may make dialogue difficult between universities and regional authorities •University culture and self-perception:
regional engagement may be seen as compromising academic excellence •University governance structure, autonomy and capabilities: universities need to have the freedom to
pursue regional goals as well as the financial, managerial and administrative means •Universities need to be, at the same time,
competitive at the global scale (as shown, for instance, by the relevance of the Shanghai and other international rankings) and engage in regional development
Coupling with global, regional and local dimensions simultaneously is still a challenge for many universities and their academics
•Evaluation/monitoring/assessment processes of universities usually do not distinguish between disciplines. However, the evaluation of projects should be different for applied sciences and for pure
sciences. It is still an open issue to define new indicators to evaluate projects from different disciplines
dialogue, trust and alignment of university portfolio and regional strategies Dialogue/communication between universities and regions is crucial:
the general perception of participants was that the workshop was an excellent way to put together universities and regional authorities
particularly to define the Smart Specialisation Strategy and to discuss the best use of EU Structural Funds
Hence, the dialogue between universities and regions encouraged by the EC in the context of Smart Specialisation Strategies is appreciated highly by universities
However, many universities still have the perception that working with EU Research Framework Programmes e g.
FP7 and the future Horizon 2020) is much easier than with Structural Funds. This is partially due to the
fact that universities (and EUA as the European stakeholder for Europe†s universities) have focused upon
On the other hand, universities have been largely absent from the debate on EU Cohesion Policy New and innovative ways to foster dialogue and more direct links and connections between universities
and regions (and society in general) should be encouraged. Some suggestions included: innovation fairs nonconventional lessons to promote entrepreneurial spirit, mutual-learning workshops, and internships
for undergraduate and postgraduate students and academics in the private sector (particularly in SMES The following are suggestions of good practices based on comments from participants
universities through institutional dialogue •Scotland (UK) using Structural Funds to support networks of higher education organisations, joint
action plans and curricula development •Puglia (IT) forming networks of research organisations supporting business;
THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN SMART SPECIALISATION STRATEGIES •Cornwall (UK: strong partnership of higher education institutions supported by the local authority
and built on a high level of trust among partners In constructing regional capacity, each element has to undertake the appropriate tasks in constant
For example, universities can provide research and skills and link up with the private sector but it is the companies themselves who possess the knowledge for business implementation
Policy makers cannot rely on one type of institution and within the regional higher education landscape there will be different types of institutions to provide different services
The degree of alignment of university-based R&d portfolios with regional/national innovation strategies will be also a crucial success factor.
region†s needs, it could be the case that universities do not align completely with the regional priorities
Thus, universities are recommended not to be just a partner on individual and ad hoc activities included in Smart Specialisation Strategies (e g. as beneficiaries of calls for proposals)
Structural Funds should be used to build capabilities of universities, not just in teaching and research
but also in all the necessary skills and competences required for universities to be successful. Thus for
University professional financial management has to be involved and strengthened and indeed compensated appropriately in a
exploitation by regions and universities of the synergies between the two policies. But rationalisation and
THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN SMART SPECIALISATION STRATEGIES involved in this workshop because it was important as a first step to build clear and mutual understanding
between university and regional representatives in taking forward the new RIS3 There was a general consensus about the importance to include all relevant stakeholders in the definition
The main agents of the triple helix †government, universities and industry †should sit down together.
Universities had varied substantial and experience in working with industry and business partners both at the level of technological development, new skills development
dissemination and communication of these experiences of promoting entrepreneurial spirit in universities will be a crucial requirement to fulfil their engagement in contributing to regional development in the
It is important to note that in the less-developed regions universities have fewer opportunities to engage
In these cases universities may provide knowledge that is used elsewhere. Each university needs to assess its local and European/global
contributions on a case-by-case basis The JRC-IPTS together with EUA decided to follow up the Seville workshop in two steps
ii) Convening a major event at the highest level, including universities and national and regional authorities
THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN SMART SPECIALISATION STRATEGIES U n i v E R S i T i e S A n D S m A r T s P E C i a L I s AT I O N
in cooperation with the European University Association 21-22 february 2013 Joint Research Centre, Seville †Spain
Rector of the University of Eastern Finland Gilbert Casamatta France Midi -Pyrã nã es Former President of the Institut National
Antã nio Cunha Portugal Norte Rector of University of Minho Stanislav Kmet Slovakia Slovakia (MS) Vice-Rector for R&d of Technical University of
Koå¡ice Jose Carlos Gomez Sal Spain Cantabria Rector of the University of Cantabria Marcin Jakub Paå ys Poland Mazowieckie Rector of the University of Warsaw
Peter Haring-Bolivar Germany North Rhine -Westphalia Vice-president for Research at University of Siegen Madeleine Atkins UK West
Midlands Vice-chancellor of Coventry University Anton Anton Romania Bucharest Senate President, Technical University of Civil
Engineering Ray O†Neil Ireland County Kildare/Mid -East Region Vice-president for Research of National
University of Ireland Maynooth B. R E g I O N s Anna Ososiå ska Poland Lubelski Chief Specialist, Regional Development
Strategy Márta Và lgyinã Nadabã¡n Hungary Eszak-Alfold Deputy Director David Santos Portugal Algarve President of the Regional Development
Commission of Algarve Antonio Ramos Portugal Algarve Head of Unit, Regional Development Commission of Algarve
THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN SMART SPECIALISATION STRATEGIES Jurgita Petrauskienä Lithuania National government Director, Research and Higher education
Monitoring and Analysis Centre Sue Brownlow England (UK) Cornwall Adviser to Cornwall County Council Jo Banks England (UK) Cornwall Cornwall County Council
Director-General for Higher education and Science C. E X P E R T s John Goddard UK North East S3p Mirror Group
Louise Kempton UK North East Author of Universities Guide Artur Rosa Pires Portugal Centro Former Vice-Rector and Vice-president of
THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN SMART SPECIALISATION STRATEGIES University of Graz, Austria The University of Graz indicated that use of EU Structural Funds for research
and innovation activities was lower than that for national and European (FP7) competitive funds. Synergy effects can be seen in the
investment in research infrastructures that are required for successful research collaboration. Since 2007 the University of Graz has run 26 projects with the EU Structural Funds;
most of the research and innovation projects are targeted at natural sciences and regional sciences as well as research infrastructures with
The University of Graz cooperates in many ways with other universities, companies and institutions in the
between universities, to gain efficiency and to create thematic priorities. Besides specific bilateral cooperation with companies, the involvement in clusters,
of the strategic interest of the university. The advantages of close cooperation in the region are synergies
of the EU Structural Funds on the development of the research and innovation capacities in the university
the Czech Government and the EU which place Prague universities and research institutes outside of the
Universities in Brno, Olomouc, Liberec and Plzen regions receive substantial EU Structural Funds for research infrastructure facilities and project development,
But Prague-based universities and research institutions require also the necessary support to ensure that cooperation
and collaborative research can be built with those universities to maximise this investment within the country as a whole (at least 50%of the Czech Republic†s education
offered by invited university participants 2 3 REPORT ON JOINT EUA-REGIO/JRC SMART SPECIALISATION PLATFORM EXPERT WORKSHOP:
THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN SMART SPECIALISATION STRATEGIES Aarhus University, Denmark Aarhus University is a member of the Regional Growth Forum in Region Central Denmark represented
by Aarhus University†s Pro-Rector. The Growth Forum is an excellent platform for regional cooperation
making it possible for the university to create partnerships with municipalities and companies The university participates in various regional development projects financed by EU Structural Funds, by
Region Central Denmark Growth Forum and Aarhus University itself Two examples â€oethe Entrepreneurial University†at the university†s Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI:
this project is funded by the European Social Fund, the Danish Growth Council and Aarhus University.
It has a total budget of â 6 million for the period from 1 april 2011 to 31 august 2014.
The project offers courses and extracurricular activities to students at Aarhus University. These activities aim to develop studentsâ€
entrepreneurial and innovative skills, providing them with beneficiary competences for both current studies and future jobs
collaboration between SMES and researchers from both Danish and foreign universities. Aarhus University†s CEI manages the project
University of Tartu, Estonia At the University of Tartu (UT) EU Structural Funds (e g. ESF and ERDF) account for circa 20%of its funding
Moreover, EU Structural Funds constitute up to 32%of UT€ s research income. The EU Structural Funds
In the period 2007-2013 a total of â 458.6 million has been allocated for higher education and
abroad for Estonian Master and Phd students etc 2 4 REPORT ON JOINT EUA-REGIO/JRC SMART SPECIALISATION PLATFORM EXPERT WORKSHOP:
THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN SMART SPECIALISATION STRATEGIES •Enhancing R&d cooperation between R&d institutions and enterprises (programmes supporting
of teaching staff at university, e-education (e-courses, study aids etc University of Tartu R&d expenditure has grown with the strong support of EU Structural Funds.
The main challenge with using Structural Funds is to cope with the high administrative burden †the rules of Structural
university side, overcoming natural competitiveness and reaching mutual agreements on division of fields of specialisation is also a challenging goal
University of Eastern Finland, Finland The University of Eastern Finland (UEF) has made important use of the EU€ s Structural and Social Funds for
the university†s overall research and innovation activities In the period 2007-2013, the UEF has coordinated 126 Structural Funds projects, mainly from the ESF (65
As a university located at the EU€ s outer border the UEF has received ENPI funding for five projects
in this case the total costs include also some self-financing of the university There has been a rather good synergy between the Structural Funds and other funding sources, particularly
THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN SMART SPECIALISATION STRATEGIES ii) Establishment of the VERA Centre for Russian and Border Studies at the University of Eastern Finland
â 868 000 Development and coordination of the areas of expertise in research which bring together the expertise
of the university†s various academic departments, as well as enhancement of VERA Centre†s international and national networks, visibility and reputation.
findings between the university and other expert organisations in the region Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse, France
Universities are obliged commonly to merge different competitive funding sources and since 2011 French universities as a whole have been involved fully in implementing the new national programme, Programme
d†Investissements d†Avenir (PIA Example INP Toulouse has used European Regional Development Funds (ERDF) in two projects GRIDMIP and
Computation Centre involving all universities in the region) but the targeted level of involvement of SMES
support to universities to strengthen these capacities within their own management structures INP Toulouse is situated in the Midi-Pyrã nã es region where coherent and strategic approaches have
Implementation of University Clusters (PRES and mergers), Competitive Clusters and the Excellence Initiatives. For example, this has led to universities joining forces in the region to focus on research and
innovation in three major fields: aerospace and embedded systems, health (ageing, cancer and use of ITCS
University of Siegen, Germany The University of Siegen has participated in many projects with industry, as the region where the university
is located (North Rhine-Westphalia) uses Structural Funds to co-finance their own R&d programmes. The
university participated in the local regional board for the investment of approximately â 200 million where
10%of funding was allocated to research-and innovation-related activities. However, synergy with other European and national research programme funding at the university is very difficult, as structural funding
rules are extremely different in comparison to other programmes Example The ACS Automotive Centre is a platform for development work
automotive manufacturers, suppliers and universities with the aim of promoting weight reduction in the automotive industry.
In conjunction with the University of Siegen and the University of South Westphalia mainly small and medium-sized companies jointly carry out projects
THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN SMART SPECIALISATION STRATEGIES It was pointed out that, in general, the way universities are involved actively in the current research and
innovation activities under the EU Structural Funds in Germany was varied extremely, for example, in the region of Niedersachen (Lower saxony) with many examples of strong innovation orientation in use of EU
universities are involved not at all in the definition of an agenda and activities The National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Ireland
EU Structural Funds have been exceptionally important in building research and development and innovation (RDI) capacity in Irish universities with approximately â 1. 2 billion in total invested through co
-financed programmes since 1998. Over that period it would have amounted to approximately 25%(rough estimate) of public investment in university RDI.
The main investment areas have been •research buildings, laboratories and equipment •human capacity building through structured Phd programmes and postdoctoral programmes
•incubation centres and technology transfer teams (all Irish universities have incubation centres on campus
The research capacity funding has been administered by the Higher education Authority as a competitive process, with one call for applications every three years on average.
administered at one step removed from the universities ESF funding has largely been directed to subsidies for development and delivery of undergraduate and
postgraduate programmes that are deemed to be in areas of high importance nationally; e g. software engineering, renewable energies
The National University of Ireland, Maynooth, had much experience of use of EU Structural and Social
THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN SMART SPECIALISATION STRATEGIES programmes are relatively small and many universities have decided not to participate because the
managing authorities construct financial and reporting rules that are aligned not with other ERDF or Framework Programme standards;
The university receives enhanced funding, while students are attracted by and benefit from reduced course fees
University of Warsaw, Poland At the University of Warsaw the EU Structural Funds form an important part of the annual budget (28%of an
annual budget of â 240 million. Synergy effects between EU Structural Funds and EU (FP7) national funds
•â€oecentre of Biological and Chemical Sciences††a new university institute for applied biological and
•â€oecentre for Preclinical Research and Technology††a consortium comprised of the University of Warsaw
and two other higher education institutions and seven research institutes in the Warsaw area General observations from experience of working with the EU Structural Funds were as follows.
lie in the strengthening of collaboration with universities and research institutions located in the region leading to new partnerships in teaching, research and common use of infrastructure and accumulation
and trust-building across universities business and non-government agencies. Also local governments have a tendency to predefine areas of
the situation that universities are considered not by regional authorities as key partners that can bring their
Minho University, Portugal Minho University pointed out that the EU Structural and Social Funds have been managed largely centrally
at the national level by the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation. Therefore, these funds are
Also, funding for basic research activities in university laboratories through key research staff and equipment investments can be gained through the ON2 programme †Consolidation of the Research
The Technical University of Koå¡ice, Slovakia The Technical University of Koå¡ice (TUKE) in its recent education, research and development programmes
has been supported significantly by the EU Structural Funds 2 8 REPORT ON JOINT EUA-REGIO/JRC SMART SPECIALISATION PLATFORM EXPERT WORKSHOP:
THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN SMART SPECIALISATION STRATEGIES 47 projects are currently active at the university, supported by a total amount of â 95.7 million.
The amount of the financial contribution from the Structural Funds exceeds â 65.9 million and the Technical University
of Koå¡ice co-finances these projects with a contribution of â 3. 6 million.
supported from the national research grants (TUKE is the third most successful university in Slovakia in
TUKE faculties were built gradually into centres of research excellence, within which are built permanent cooperation with relevant institutes of Slovak Academy of
ice and with other universities in the region Two examples in the field of renewable energy research
The Technical University of Koå¡ice conducts this integrated project with a mission that focuses on the
University of Cantabria, Spain The University of Cantabria indicated that EU Structural Funds had been very important for research and
innovation activities at the university and, in general, at all universities in Spain. Social Funds have less
importance for the funding of university projects. In present times the scenario has changed, depending upon the situation in each region.
National research calls have been financed co by ERDF but in the last years the situation has become unpredictable (some projects are financed co and others not, and this also
THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN SMART SPECIALISATION STRATEGIES Example The experience of Cantabria Campus International where all the institutions and major companies of the
University of Coventry, United kingdom The University of Coventry indicated that the EU Structural Funds have been of significant benefit to the
university in supporting the establishment of research and innovation projects, which represent new priorities for the institution.
Its use of the Structural Funds at a regional level is entirely based on the European Regional Development Fund.
The university has accessed not European Social Fund grants in this current programming period. Within the 2007-2013 Structural Funds programme, ESF was managed
Universities for the most part were excluded from the ESF programme as a result of its concentrating funding on training only up to level 3
THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES IN SMART SPECIALISATION STRATEGIES enhanced productivity, enhanced revenue generation and increased competitiveness.
European University Association asbl  Avenue de l†Yser 24  1040 Brussels, Belgium Tel:+
The European University Association (EUA) is the representative organisation of universities and national rectors†conferences in 47 European countries
EUA plays a crucial role in the Bologna process and in influencing EU policies on higher education, research and innovation.
Thanks to its interaction with a range of other European and international organisations EUA ensures that the
independent voice of European universities is heard wherever decisions are being taken that will impact on their activities
universities. The results of EUA€ s work are made available to members and stakeholders through conferences, seminars, website and public ations
Overtext Web Module V3.0 Alpha
Copyright Semantic-Knowledge, 1994-2011