University Transformation, Transformative University
Now, we focus on the emerging central role of universities as an orchestrator of innovation. This role results in – and is enabled by – far-reaching institutional transformation that concerns not just its “third mission” of knowledge and technology transfer but also affects its core processes and offers in teaching and research.
Universities are developing more strategic approaches to external cooperation (international and regional), integrating external problem solving and challenges into teaching and research projects, expanding start-up support and promotion of entrepreneurial competences among researchers and students, and adapting their interfaces to external partners (e.g. technology transfer services, start-up hubs, research cooperation or business facilitation support, continuing and executive education offer).
Such transformation also involves a changing role of university teachers, whose capacity to coach project work in teams has to be developed, or students, whose interactive engagement and independent learning capacity becomes the central focus of curricular design and teaching methodology.
The focus on competence-based teaching and curricula also includes increasing attention to entrepreneurial competences. A helpful definition of such competences and what it takes to advance them – from foundational to expert level – has been put forward in the Entrepreneurial Competence Framework.
TASK
Ideally these questions should be discussed in teams of two, with one assessing him- or herself and the other asking critical but supportive questions regarding the self-assessment and self-development plan. After a first round, the partners should switch roles.
- Choose two competences from the Entrepreneurship Competence Framework and try to assess where you position yourself in the progression from foundational to expert level.
- Describe what concrete measures you want to take to increase your level of advancement with respect to these two competences.
Optional Reading:
- Reichert, Sybille (2019): The Role of Universities in Regional Innovation Ecosystems,pp.80-83.
- Manchester University Strategy: https://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/vision/
- LERU (League of European research Universities) (2019): Student Entrepreneurship at research-intensive universities: from a peripheral activity towards a new mainstream, pp.7-10, 16-18.
- Bacigalupo M, Kampylis P, Punie Y and Van Den Brande L. (2016): The Entrepreneurship Competence Framework. Luxembourg (Luxembourg): Publications Office of the European Union, pp.13-15. https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/5e633083-27c8-11e6-914b-01aa75ed71a1/language-en
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