Engaged and Innovative Universities in Less-Developed Regions : The Case of the University of Aveiro

The discussion on the role of universities in regional development has been a focus of academic and political debate in recent years. The overwhelming consensus is that universities can bring a crucial advantage to regional innovation systems, as knowledge-producers, disseminators and agents in the definition of a forwardlooking society. 'Entrepreneurial' and 'innovative' are now terms universities want to be associated with, and such is the case of the University of Aveiro (UA). Its location in the less-developed region of Centro, however, poses a challenge with the presence of a weak institutional landscape and an economic fabric of SMEs operating in traditional sectors. Nevertheless, a result of local aspirations and of a systemic political and educational reform in the country, UA has defined itself as a dynamic and innovative university, by embracing regional expectations, needs and partnerships, along with a conviction of the beneficial role of international knowledge exchange and collaboration. This paper aims to shed light on the case of this young university, searching to assert itself on the national and international stage, while still fomenting local ties and tackling an adverse context. Using document analysis and in-depth interviews to academic staff, knowledge-transfer offices, incubators and local university partners, this study seeks to understand how the regional, institutional and organisational context has shaped the innovative and entrepreneurial image of UA. Through a comprehensive analysis, this research hopes to present a depiction of UA’s practices toward regional development, engagement and innovation that can have transferrable implications for other universities and policy-makers

Rankings and Regional Development: The Cause or the Symptom of Universities’ Insufficient Regional Contributions?

Universities are increasingly expected to contribute to regional development and the wellbeing of communities in the places in which they are located through a wide range of third mission activities. However, this is an arduous task as these regional activities are usually pitched against other missions, namely teaching and research, and global orientation strategy. While the literature has recently implied that rankings might be the cause of universities’ insufficient regional contributions, the manner in which they inhibit regional engagement is yet to be uncovered. This paper therefore explores how rankings permeate universities and guide the behaviours of academics and top managers and thereby influence their regional engagement activities. Using a multiple case study design entailing semi-structured interviews carried out in Dutch, English and Finnish universities, we demonstrate that rankings inhibit universities’ regional contributions in two ways: i) by exacerbating universities’ difficulty of justifying regional engagement activities to the funders through an emphasis on quantitative third mission indicators, and ii) by encouraging universities to shift their focus from regional relevance to global excellence through stronger institutional profiling. We argue that rankings are not the cause of universities’ insufficient regional contributions per se, but rather a symptom of it; the cause is increasingly global competition between higher education institutions

Measurement of iron mass in concrete wall using ultra-wide band radar

Here, it is aimed to measure and detect the iron mass of a concrete solid wall, column, floor by using of ultra-wide band radar. Electromagnetic waves boundary conditions, reflection, and refraction of waves that radiate in solid material are analysed. GPR imaging methodology and scanning types such as A, B, and C are analysed. Ultra-wide band radar imaging is used for detecting measuring the diameter of the iron material

Kalman filter aided target density function for radar imaging

This study proposes a new algorithm for air target radar imaging by taking the geometrical and processing advantages of array antenna systems. The backscattered signal is processed with a new technique to benefit the facilities of angular scanning. In order to virtually increase the number of the radar elements of the array system, a powerful optimal estimator is employed, namely Kalman filter

Reconnecting the University to the Region of Twente : Findings from the RUNIN-Design Lab Think Tank

The RUNIN project's Design Lab Think Tank took place on 28th June 2018. Its aim was to discuss the topic of universities' engagement with society, specifically in their region. It used a world café format that brought together regional stakeholders to discuss how the University of Twente (UT) can incorporate societal questions in its core activities and, through this, create regional benefits. This report provides a description of the event, a summation of the initiatives proposed and an analysis of the discussion that was prompted by the sub-questions around the subject of universities' societal engagement

Structuration of natural resource-based innovations in universities: How do they get institutionalized?

Natural resource-based innovations (NRBIs), especially through the valorization of waste and side streams, have recently become a significant element of the bioeconomy agenda in several countries across the world. Accordingly, a variety of institutions, including universities, have been expected to contribute to such innovations. While there have been serious efforts within universities to play a key role in NRBIs, questions of the extent of institutional continuity of these efforts over time and how this can be achieved remain unanswered in the literature. This paper, therefore, seeks to identify the determinants of a highly institutionalized structure that is supportive of NRBIs in universities. By mobilizing a literature in which the level of structuration is conceptualized as the degree of institutionalization and by using a single case study of a Portuguese public university, it was found that several internal and external factors have contributed to the institutionalization process, which has led to the emergence of a sedimented structure. Despite a high degree of institutionalization, several challenges that have either impeded the harnessing of the full potential of NRBIs or that have posed a threat to the university’s highly institutionalized structure were also found. The paper concludes that the institutionalization of NRBIs within universities not only requires orchestrated organizational efforts but also more consideration of the social, economic, and political dynamics that have recently engulfed universities

Delving into social entrepreneurship in universities: is it legitimate yet?

Universities have recently been pressurized to go beyond their economic conceptualization of third-mission activities and contribute to solving grand societal challenges in the regions in which they are located. Social entrepreneurship has emerged as one mechanism by which universities can address societal challenges. Despite a growing awareness of universities’ potential and expectations to enhance social entrepreneurship in their geographical vicinities, how these processes become legitimized within a higher education context has received surprisingly little attention. This paper, therefore, explores factors affecting the (de)legitimacy process of social entrepreneurship within universities. Using a single case study design that relies on semi-structured interviews carried out in a Dutch public university, it was found that organizational legitimacy of social entrepreneurship remains unestablished. Furthermore, the legitimacy process is affected by (1) the expectations of stakeholders, the difficulty of measuring social impact and third-mission indicators; (2) an overemphasis on high-tech research and application as an organizational identity; (3) the absence of a leader in the field and lack of organizational recognition; and (4) stringent regulations of public institutions in the Netherlands. In addition, enhancing social entrepreneurs is hindered by the lack of place-based belonging among the student body. Consequently, this paper argues that a holistic approach that focuses on the specificities of universities and the increasing competitive environment in which they have come to function, the potential facilitating role of other organizational actors in the field, and designing appropriate policy instruments and incentives would benefit universities in their efforts to enhance social entrepreneurship

Delving into social entrepreneurship in universities: is it legitimate yet?

Universities have recently been pressurized to go beyond their economic conceptualization of third-mission activities and contribute to solving grand societal challenges in the regions in which they are located. Social entrepreneurship has emerged as one mechanism by which universities can address societal challenges. Despite a growing awareness of universities’ potential and expectations to enhance social entrepreneurship in their geographical vicinities, how these processes become legitimized within a higher education context has received surprisingly little attention. This paper, therefore, explores factors affecting the (de)legitimacy process of social entrepreneurship within universities. Using a single case study design that relies on semi-structured interviews carried out in a Dutch public university, it was found that organizational legitimacy of social entrepreneurship remains unestablished. Furthermore, the legitimacy process is affected by (1) the expectations of stakeholders, the difficulty of measuring social impact and third-mission indicators; (2) an overemphasis on high-tech research and application as an organizational identity; (3) the absence of a leader in the field and lack of organizational recognition; and (4) stringent regulations of public institutions in the Netherlands. In addition, enhancing social entrepreneurs is hindered by the lack of place-based belonging among the student body. Consequently, this paper argues that a holistic approach that focuses on the specificities of universities and the increasing competitive environment in which they have come to function, the potential facilitating role of other organizational actors in the field, and designing appropriate policy instruments and incentives would benefit universities in their efforts to enhance social entrepreneurship

Why do universities have little systemic impact with social innovation? An institutional logics perspective

Social innovation has been increasingly regarded as an instrument through which transformative structural change, necessary to address grand societal challenges can be achieved. Social innovations are encouraged by the emergence of innovation systems that support changes not exclusively driven by a techno‐economic rationality. In the context of this special issue, there has been both little understanding of social innovation systems within mainstream innovation ecosystem approaches and little analysis of the roles played by universities in social innovation systems. We here focus on the institutional complexity of universities and their field‐level dynamics as serving as a potential break on the institutionalisation of social innovation. To deepen our understanding of this, we utilise a literature around institutional logics to foreground characteristics of organisational fields with regard to social innovation. Drawing on empirical data gathered in two public universities located in different countries, we show that in one case the potential of social innovation is undermined by two dominant institutional logics, in the other its permeation across the organisational field is seriously challenged by a more powerful dominant logic. The institutional logic approach is useful to highlighting the barriers to building productive innovation ecosystems incorporating social considerations, and helps to explain the persistent difficulties in reframing ecosystems approaches to reflect wider societal dynamics