University-Regional Partnerships: Case Studies. Mobilising Universities for Smart Specialisation

The attached booklet provides a variety of case studies of university-regional partnerships across Europe. All of them have been provided by members of the S3 Platform established by DG Regional Policy and managed by the Joint Research Centre in Seville. 

The cases give an insight into how universities across Europe are engaging with local, regional and national authorities to help shape and implement Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3). It shows a diverse set of contributions, from providing regional economic data and analysis, proposing a relevant model of innovation for the territory, to chairing working groups of entrepreneurs designed to kick start a search process that is central to the smart specialisation concept. 

Once S3 are in place universities can be expected to have a key role in implementation. This may include research work but also the interpretation of ideas produced across the world through international academic networks. The role of universities also goes well beyond research and includes training of future high skilled labour, entrepreneurs and business leaders. Universities are civic institutions too and have a unique potential to increase the knowledge of a country, region or city where they are located. In brief, they are a vital part of national and regional innovation systems whether this results in more technology transfer to high tech firms or the co-production of solutions for societal challenges. 

Universities have long been involved in projects outside the faculty’s walls. However, the smart specialisation agenda requires them to go beyond ‘contractual’ activities and build a long lasting strategic partnership with regional authorities. This type of ‘transformative’ relationship can be a real agent for change. 

These cases studies were prepared ahead of the high level conference ‘Mobilising Universities for Smart Specialisation’ held in Brussels on 20th June 2014. The conference was intended to raise the awareness of the crucial role universities can have in regional development and share experiences and different types of university-regional partnerships across Europe.