The Response of Higher Education Institutions to Regional Needs

The agenda of universities has moved on from a desire to simply increase the general education level of the population and the output of scientific research; there is now a greater concern to harness university education and research to specific economic and social objectives. Nowhere is this demand for specificity more clear than in the field of regional development. What contribution do universities make to the development of the regions they are located in? They certainly have passive impacts in terms of direct and indirect employment; yet, how can the resources of universities be mobilised to actively contribute to the development process? The challenge addressed in this book is how should higher education institutions respond to demands which are emanating from a set of actors and agencies concerned with regional development and thus help reach national objectives. This book is based on case studies presented at various conferences focusing on Australia, the Baltic States and Scandinavia, continental Europe, the United States and the United Kingdom. The case study material is supplemented by other sources of information about national higher education policy, including major national surveys of higher education in Australia, Finland and the United Kingdom each of which embrace the regional agenda. Read more... Chapter 1. Introduction -- Context. -- Approach to the report -- Chapter 2. Higher Education Institutions and Territoriality -- Problematising territoriality -- Reconceptualising territorial development and governance -- Chapter 3. Characteristics of the National Systems -- National systems of higher education -- Regional higher education systems in a national context -- Chapter 4. Characteristics of the Region -- The nature of the region and the regional stakeholders -- New forms of regional governance and policy -- Chapter 5. Institutional Management for Regional Engagement -- Evaluating and mapping the impact of the regional HE system -- Capacity building for regional co-operation -- Creating a new organisational culture -- Mechanisms to promote university-regional involvement -- Promoting regional dialogue -- Financial management -- Chapter 6. Teaching Management -- Student recruitment€€ -- Students and regional employment -- Localising the learning process -- Promoting lifelong learning, continuing professional development and training -- Changing forms of educational provision -- Enhancing the regional learning system -- Chapter 7. Research Management -- The changing nature of research and knowledge production -- Regionally based research -- Research interfaces -- Chapter 8. Community Service Management -- HEIs and the "third role" -- The civic and leadership role of HEIs -- HEIs and community service -- HEIs and regional resources -- Chapter 9. Conclusions -- Drivers/barriers to regional engagement -- Drivers for adoption of regional development role -- Barriers to adoption of a regional development role -- Emerging institutional forms -- Chapter 10. Recommendations -- To national governments -- To local and regional authorities -- To HEIs -- Appendix 1 . List of HEIs from which material was drawn -- Appendix€2 . Reviews of selected national systems of higher education -- Bibliography. At Head Of Title: Programme On Institutional Management In Higher Education. Published In French Under The Title: Les établissements D'enseignement Supérieur Face Aux Besoins Régionaux. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 147-149).