THE ROLE OF A UNIVERISTY IN ITS REGION John Goddard Professor of Regional Development Studies Pro-Vice-Chancellor University of Newcastle upon Tyne University of Newcastle Public Lecture 29 February 2000

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THE ROLE OF A UNIVERISTY IN ITS REGIONJohn
GoddardProfessor of Regional Development
StudiesPro-Vice-ChancellorUniversity of
Newcastle upon TyneUniversity of Newcastle
Public Lecture29 February 2000
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OUTLINE

• 1. Sources
• 2. The drivers for regional engagement
• 3. Implications for national, regional and
  university policy
• 4. The UK policy context
• 5. The geography of the UK knowledge
  economy/society and of UK higher education
• 6. The North East Region and Newcastle University.

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1. RESEARCH RESOURCES UK

• CURDS ongoing research on regional variations in
  innovation and technological change
• CVCP - Universities and Communities (1994)
• DfEE - Universities and Economic Development
  (1997 - 98)
• DfEE - North East Graduate Labour Markets (1998
  - 99)
• The regional role of Warwick University the
  development of a Strategic Partnership (1999)
• HEFCE/CVCP - The contribution of higher
  education to the regions (2000-2001)

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INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH

• OECD Programme on Institutional Management in
  Higher Education The response of Universities
  to regional needs (1997-99)
• Committee of Rectors of European Universities
  (CRE) Dialogue of Universities with their
  regional partners (1997-99)
• Finnish Higher Education Evaluation Council
  The responsive university the regional role of
  Eastern Finland universities (1997-99)
  External engagement and institutional
  adjustment an evaluation of the University of
  Turku (1999 - 2000)
• EU 4th Framework Programme UNIREG (UK, Ireland,
  Finland, Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Greece)
  (1999 - 2001)

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2. POLITICAL DRIVERS

• Old concerns - raising general education levels
  and output of scientific research
• New concerns - harnessing teaching and research
  to specific economic and social objectives
• Specificity most clear in field of regional
  development
• Universities located IN regions but what
  contribution does their teaching and research
  make to the development OF the region?

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THIRD ROLE

• Long established contribution to the economy and
  society in places in which universities are
  located
• Continuing Education, research support for local
  firms, public lectures, concerts, access to
  libraries, galleries and museums
• Requirement for formal recognition of the third
  role, but fully integrated with teaching and
  research

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HIGHER EDUCATION POLICY DRIVERS

• Shift from elite to mass HE
• Meeting needs of a larger and more diverse client
  population
• Lifelong learning needs created by changing skill
  demands in the labour market
• Declining maintenance grants/more stay at home
  students
• Increased global competition from new providers
• New modes of delivery (ICTs)
• Changing nature of knowledge production

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ECONOMIC DRIVERS (1)

• Globalisation and localisation of the economy and
  declining regulatory capacity of the nation state
• Corporate decentralisation and growing importance
  of local production environment
• New local/regional clients for research and
  graduates
• Demand for work based learning and tacit skills

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ECONOMIC DRIVERS (2)

• Shift from mode 1 knowledge creation (homogenous,
  disciplinary, hierarchical) to mode 2 knowledge
  (non- hierarchical, transient,
  transdisciplinary, developed in the context of
  applications)
• Regionalisation of regulatory capacity of the
  nation state (firms, chambers of commerce,
  training agencies)
• Networks Associated governance soft
  infrastructure untraded interdependencies
• Universities as nation builders to universities
  as region builders - active role in capacity
  building

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LEARNING REGIONS (1)

• Network knowledge is highly dependent on
  inter-personal relations and therefore most
  readily developed within a region
• Learning regions effectively communicate to the
  education and training system the appropriate
  skills and competencies required of the workforce
• In learning regions people development linked to
  the strategic objectives of both organisations
  and the region

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LEARNING REGIONS (2)

• The shift in knowledge-intensive capitalism goes
  beyond the particular business and management
  strategies of individual firms. It involves the
  development of new inputs and a broader
  infrastructure at the regional level on which
  individual firms and production complexes can
  draw. The nature of this economic transformation
  makes regions key economic units in the global
  economy
• To be effective in this increasingly borderless
  global economy, regions must be defined by the
  same criteria and elements which comprise a
  knowledge-intensive firm continuous
  improvement, new ideas, knowledge creation and
  organisational learning. Regions must adopt the
  principles of knowledge creation and continuous
  learning they must in effect become knowledge
  creating or learning regions (R.Florida)

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OLD HE MANAGEMENT MODEL

• National funding to meet national labour market
  and RTD needs
• Single funder and long term security
• Predictable 18-21 year old cohort of students
• Corporate sector employers of students
• Academic peers and corporate sector as research
  clients
• Limited demands on management
• Supporting self management and collegiality

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NEW HE MANAGEMENT MODEL

• Universities not immune from globalisation and
  localisation pressures
• Privileged relationship with Government
  undermined
• New intermediaries articulate demands of others
• Chambers of Commerce SMEs community
  associations life long learners local
  authorities arts and cultural industries
• New requirements for locally relevant knowledge
  production global gateways adaptable
  workforce leadership in regional governance

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THE ROLE OF STUDENTS AND GRADUATES

• A channel for local employers to the global
  knowledge base available to university
  researchers
• Feedback mechanisms via CPD and alumni to ensure
  teaching and learning reflects employer needs
• Access for researchers to challenging problems
• Social basis of relationships on which
  commercialisation of the science base can build

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THE ROLE OF CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

• Strengthening regional cultural identify and self
  awareness
• Contributing to cultural industries (audience and
  product)
• Attracting and retaining creative people
• Reducing social exclusion and developing local
  communities
• Leadership in civil society and contributing to
  the environment within which business operates

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THE CHALLENGES OF HEI ENGAGEMENT WITH TERRITORY

• HEIs operate within multiple territories - local,
  regional, national, international
• Closed territories of local stakeholders compared
  to open territories of HEIs
• Connotations of insularity and parochialism
  associated with regionalism (cf.
  metropolitan/cosmopolitan)
• Institutional autonomy versus regional planning
  of higher education
• Challenge to simultaneously manage the various
  territorial portfolios so they reinforce each
  other and establish mechanisms through which the
  national and international connections of HEIs
  and be mobilised to benefit the region

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3. RECOMMENDATIONS TONATIONAL GOVERNMENTS

• Mapping the geography of higher education
• what courses are taught where and how
• where do students come from and graduates go to
• highlight good practice in regional engagement
• Foster inter-ministerial dialogue
• Industry, technology, labour market, interior,
  other specialist agencies
• Identify common interests in universities and
  territorial development
• build joint strategies
• Design and establish an incentive and funding
  programme for Regional Development and
  Universities
• Incentives to encourage HEIs to establish
  programmes/projects to strengthen regional links
• Promotion of partnerships and dialogue between
  regional education providers such as schools, FE
  and HE and other training providers

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RECOMMENDATIONS TO LOCAL AND REGIONAL AUTHORITIES

• Develop understanding of HEIs in the area
• Goals, mission, profile, organisation of
  institutions
• Use HEI expertise for regional analysis
• Participation in regional Future Search
  Conference
• Incorporate HEIs into regional action
  plans/programmes
• Inward investment
• Technology transfer
• Skills/training/physical plans
• cultural initiatives and institutional capacity
  building
• Financial support for collaborative projects
• Joint bids to national fund
• Mechanisms for regional interface

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INCORPORATION INTO REGIONAL ACTION PLANS AND
PROGRAMMES

• Inward investment - overseas delegations
• Consultancy schemes to assist product and process
  innovation
• Student work based learning/placement schemes
• Skills enhancement to raise regional
  competitiveness via targeted graduate retention
  and CPD
• Joint planning of non-vocational education and
  public opening of university facilities

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RECOMMENDATIONS TO HEIs

• 1. Economic Audit
• 2. Social and Community Audit
• 3. Stakeholder Mapping
• 4. Stakeholder Analysis
• 5. Dialogue with Stakeholders
• 6. Performance and Practice Management
• 7. Review Internal Mechanisms

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4. UK POLICY CONTEXT DEARING

• One of the four purposes of HE to serve the
  needs of an adaptable, sustainable, knowledge
  based economy at the local, regional and
  national level
• But the extent of the local and regional
  engagement of universities is patchy and needs to
  turn to active and systematic engagement
• Each institution should be clear about its
  mission in relation to the local community and
  region as part of the compact we advocate between
  higher education society

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OTHER UK POLICY

• DETR Building Partnerships for Prosperity
  sustainable growth, competitiveness and
  employment in the English regions
• DfEE The Learning Age a renaissance for a new
  Britain
• DTI Our Competitive Future Building the
  knowledge driven economy.
• DCMS DOH MAFF, etc

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UK POLICY CONTEXT
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REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES

• All UK regions except London and South East below
  European average of GDP per capita
• Regional executive agencies of central government
• VC presence on 8 out of the 9 boards but CVCP
  slate not accepted
• Informal forum of VCs in all regions but the RDA
  Board member does not represent the sector
• RDAs to identify key skill gaps affecting
  regional economic development and to set out
  plans for addressing these covering all the main
  sectors of education and training (DfEE)

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ONE NORTH EAST PLANNED EXPENDITURE 1999/2000

• m
• Land and Property 11.7 9.7
• Derelict Land Grant 1.9 1.6
• Single Regeneration Budget 91.6 75.6
• Rural Development 2.6 2.1
• Skills Development Fund 1.7 1.4
• Competitiveness Fund 0.3 0.2
• Inward Development 1.7 1.4
• Administration 9.8 8.1
• TOTAL 121.2 100.0

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DTI COMPETITIVENESS WHITE PAPER

• RDAs creatures of DETR but do provide new
  delivery mechanisms for DTI national policies
• Business should turn into commercial success
  technological knowledge in our universities .
  and . form collective partnerships with
  suppliers, customers, schools and universities to
  build networks and clusters of excellence to win
  competitive advantage
• Government will reward universities for
  strategies and activities that enhance
  interaction with business and encourage the
  development of entrepreneurship and skills,
  especially amongst school pupils, students and
  university researchers
• Successful business depends upon strong team
  work - with suppliers, customers, joint financial
  partners and between managers and employees
• The government will act as catalyst to promote
  creative collaboration between businesses and
  within regions

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DTI POLICY INITIATIVES

• 8 new Science Enterprise Institutes
• University Challenge Fund
• Regional Innovation Strategies
• Higher Education Reach out Fund to reward
  universities for strategies and activities which
  enhance interaction with business, promote
  technological and knowledge transfer, strengthen
  high level skills development and improve student
  employability and help recognise the importance
  of university interaction with business alongside
  education and research
• Faraday partnership schemes, expanding TCS and
  Regional Foresight

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5. THE GEOGRAPHY OF THE UK KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY AND
SOCIETY

• Concentration of private and government RD in
  the South East and East Anglia (Figure 1)
• HEIs a significant part of local RD capacity in
  other regions, especially Scotland, Yorkshire
  Humberside and London
• Concentration and growth of knowledge intensive
  business services in the South East
• Concentration of graduate workforce in the South
  East
• Schools and households in North lagging behind in
  access to the information highways
• Low levels of education attainment (and
  preparedness for HE) in the Midlands and North

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FIGURE 1 - Expenditure on RD as a of Regional
GDP 1995
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INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY

• The biggest issue we face is the multiplicity of
  players involved in Information Society issues,
  lack of institutional cohesion and unwillingness
  to share developments and ideas. Even within
  sectors where there is a common interest and
  agenda, one constantly comes up against what we
  have christened the Competition-Collaboration
  Paradox. It is an issue everywhere of course,
  but it is one which, interestingly, the private
  sector often manages better, recognising where
  its own self-interest can be served by sharing
  information, experience or development effort.
  In our public and quasi-public institutions,
  often driven by narrow targets and increasingly
  operating in an apparently zero-sum bid culture,
  it takes real leadership and vision to see the
  bigger picture and the wider issues, and to
  commit time, effort and political will to their
  resolution
• Source Northern Informatics Application Agency
  (NiAA)

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A DIVERSE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM

• Old foundations (e.g. Oxbridge)
• Victorian Expansions (e.g. Manchester)
• 20th Century London spin off colleges (e.g.
  Reading)
• 1960s, Greenfield Universities (e.g. Lancaster)
• Upgraded Colleges of Advanced Technology (e.g.
  Bradford)
• Former Polytechnics (e.g. UNN)
• Upgraded Colleges (e.g. Derby)

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UNIVERSITY STRATEGIES TOWARDS REGIONAL ENGAGEMENT

• A community-based institution serving the
• needs the local area/region 2.4
• An institution seeking to contribute to the local
• area and also develop international
  strengths 43.4
• An institution seeking to contribute equally
• between international research and support to
• the local area 10.9
• An international research institution seeking to
• provide support to the local community where
• it does not conflict with international research
• excellence 34.9
• An international research institution with no
• particular ties to the local area/region
  2.4
• None of the above 6.0

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THE GEOGRAPHY OF UK HIGHER EDUCATION

• Under provision of HE relative to demand in the
  South East, South West and West Midlands
• Higher propensity for students to attend a local
  university in London and the North and a net flow
  of undergraduates from south to north especially
  pre 1992 Universities
• Concentration of HEFCE research funding and
  research grant and contract income in London, the
  South East and East Anglia (Figure 2)
• Combined research activity of universities in
  provincial cities less than single leading
  institutions in South (Figure 3)

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KEY 1. Public 2. UK Industry 3. Charities 4. Other
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GRADUATE MOBILITY

• Majority of graduates (55) take up first
  employment in their home region
• Students studying away from home most likely to
  view the labour market in national terms
• Graduate mobility also greatest for those with
• best degree results
• attending pre 1992 universities
• from families in higher socio-economic groups
• Graduate retention least likely in regions that
  are net importers of undergraduates, ie. less
  favoured regions

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6. REGIONAL ECONOMIC STRATEGY FOR THE NORTH
EASTUnlocking our Potential

• 1. Creating wealth by building a diversified,
  knowledge driven economy
• 2. Establishing a new entrepreneurial culture
• 3. Building an adaptable and highly skilled
  workforce
• 4. Placing universities and colleges at the heart
  of the regions economy
• 5. Meeting 21st Century transport, communications
  and property needs
• 6. Accelerating the renaissance of the North East

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UNIVERSITIES FOR THE NORTH EAST A STRATEGY FOR
THE NEXT 10 YEARS

• To develop the sector as a direct and indirect
  source of employment by enhancing its national
  and international competitiveness in teaching and
  research (development of the sector).
• To increase the number of full and part-time
  students from the region studying within the
  region (growing participation in HE and student
  retention).
• To increase the number of students from outside
  the region, especially outside the UK, studying
  in the region (student recruitment).
• To increase the proportion of graduates from the
  region taking up employment in the region
  (graduate retention).
• To increase the contribution of the sector to the
  competitiveness of business in the region via new
  business foundations, knowledge and technology
  transfer, the attraction of new investment and
  the creation of an innovative milieu
  (contribution to competitiveness).

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THE UNIVERSITIES AND THE REGION A COMPACT
BETWEEN ONE AND UNE

• Teaching and Learning
• Knowledge transfer through students to regional
  industry
• Knowledge transfer through general consultancy,
  teaching and invention
• Community engagement through community based
  activities

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ECONOMIC IMPACT OF NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY

• 4,000 Staff (Third largest employer in Newcastle)
• 16,000 students and 3,500 graduates annually
• Annual expenditure 155m
• Research income 37m
• 160 contracts with commercial companies in
  1997/98
• 23 spin out companies

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UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE INSTITUTIONAL PLAN 1999 -
2004 (STRAND 3)

• Contribution to Economic, cultural, and social
  development
• 1. Strengthened capacity for effective engagement
  to shape and respond to national and regional
  agendas on the economy and on community issues
• 2. Proactive contributions to these agendas
  through mutually reinforcing teaching, research,
  and cultural and community-based activities
• 3. Working with partners to maximise the economic
  and social development of the North of England,
  drawing upon our expertise and connections from
  our work at international and national levels to
  assist - the regions companies to improve their
  competitiveness
• - its people to develop and to enhance their
  employability, and
• - its communities to be more sustainable

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NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY - HERO BC SCHEME

• Making Knowledge Work
• Objectives
• Understanding the needs of business
• Matching needs to expertise
• Establishing means of delivery
• Focus on business clusters(bio-sciences and
  pharmaceuticals engineering, including offshore
  agriculture, marine and food science IT and
  informatics, cultural industries) (people,
  firms, institutions)
• Building internal networks
• Strategic planning
• Changing the culture

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METHODOLOGIES

• Cluster business development managers
• Technology transfer
• CPD and open distance learning
• Employability
• HR development
• Regional development office

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BIO-SCIENCES AND PHARMACEUTICALS

• High research rated departments, cross
  departmental and cross faculty research
  collaborations (Medicine, Science, Engineering,
  Agriculture)
• Promotion of a science enterprise culture -
  Science Enterprise Centre Making Biotechnology
  Happen Symposium
• International Centre for Life Institute for
  Human Genetics, Bio-Cell communications
  network Politics, Ethics and Life Sciences
  Institute (PEALS)
• Biotechnology companies, Novacastra, Sea Bait,
  Arrow Therapeutics, Genotype, Selective
  Antibodies, BioEnhancement, Northgene

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ENGINEERING AND OFFSHORE TECHNOLOGY

• Contribution to Knowledge House - access for SMEs
  to University expertise (32 company contracts
  awarded 1998)
• Regional Centre for Innovation in Engineering
  Design - Industry club support for 300 SMEs
  Virtual product design and prototyping on the
  Internet
• Teaching Company Schemes company, student,
  supervisor (technology transfer, graduate
  retention, research contracts)
• Industrial Statistics Research Unit and Centre
  for Quality Engineering
• Industrial Design Centre

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IT AND INFORMATICS

• Department of Computing Science Centre for
  Software Reliability Club with 2,500 corporate
  and individual members
• MARI and Northern Informatics and Northern
  Metropolitan Area Network (NORMAN)
• Sowerby Centre for Health Informatics
• Transport Operations Research Group/Geomatics -
  regional transport electronic information service
  projects
• Rural telematics
• CURDS - North East Information Economy

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AGRICULTURE, MARINE AND FOOD SCIENCES

• Food chain - link between economic activities
  affecting land use, rural and marine development
• Primary industry - fishing and forestry and
  secondary industries of food processing,
  marketing and retailing
• Interaction between food consumption, human
  health and well being
• University Farms
• Dove Marine Laboratory Programme of Marine
  Science Education and Northumberland Marine
  Bio-diversity project
• Recycling to Land Initiative with local companies
• Centre for Rural Economy

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CULTURAL INDUSTRIES

• Heritage Departments of Archaeology, Classics,
  History MA in Museum Studies
• Museum of Antiquities Shefton Museum of Greek
  Art and Archaeology Hancock Museum
• Visual Arts Department of Fine Art and Hatton
  Gallery
• Music Department of Music, Kings Hall Concerts,
  Northern Sinfonia
• Performing Arts Playhouse Theatre
• Popular Culture Student Union concerts

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CAREERS SERVICE AND REGIONAL LABOUR MARKETS

• Graduate Direct - graduate placement in SMEs
• Graduate labour market intelligence
• Work with former graduates to encourage a return
  to the region
• Gradient Graduate employability enhancement
  programme

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SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY DEVEL0PMENT

• Students into Schools programme
• Progression and Access Routes to Newcastle
  University (PARTNERS) programme with Tyneside
  Schools
• Community widening participation programme in
  Blyth Valley
• Electronic delivery of teaching for PT degrees in
  rural areas
• Medical School - Health Action Zones and Health
  Promotion
• Student Community Action (SCAN)

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CONTRIBUTION TO THE PUBLIC SPHERE

• Newcastle Gateshead Initiative Newcastle Common
  Purpose Universities for the North East
  Northern Informatics
• Urban and Regional Analysis Geography/CURDS
  Centre for Rural Economy Architecture, Planning
  and Landscape, etc.
• Regional Competitiveness Project, Regional
  Economic Strategy, Regional Foresight
• Expert contribution to regional and national
  media
• Agenda setting in relation to EU and national
  policy (e.g. ERDF, Competition Policy, Labour
  Market Policy, Health and Science Policy)
• Neutral ground for public debate (e.g. Campaign
  for a Northern Assembly)
• PEALS - Café scientifique

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PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT

• Know how management of change building and
  management of networks facilitation and
  mediation working with different organisational
  cultures project planning and implementation
  raising financial support organisational
  politics and dynamics
• Know what structure and responsibilities of
  organisations involved in development central
  and local government powers and responsibilities
  different timescales and drivers institutional
  overlap

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END NOTE

• Regional engagement as a means of creating
  universities which are more responsive to the
  needs of the economy and society