UNIVERSITY AND CITY COOPERATION

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UNIVERSITY AND CITY COOPERATION CHALLENGES AND
OPPORTUNITIES
University of Latvia Dace Gertnere Maris Elerts
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University impact on regional development

• Higher education can help cities and regions
  become globally competetive. Globalisation and
  localisation are making the local availability of
  knowledge and skills increasingly important.
• (OECD forum for higher education institutions
  IMHE Infohttp//www.oecd.org/dataoecd/63/4/3836454
  8.pdf)
• Engine for social and economic development
• - innovation (competitiveness, spin-offs,
  international cooperation)
• - lifelong learning, cultural and social
  influence on local society

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University impact on regional development

• Higher Education Impact Model developed by
  Library House (University of Cambridge, UK)
• Core activities Teaching, Research
• Economic impact from teaching direct
  increased labour productivity, indirect
  increased level of entrepreneurship
• Economic impact from research direct
  knowledge technology transfer, indirect third
  party usage of science and arts
• Societal impact from teaching direct
  increased level of social productivity, indirect
  increased level of culture social
  contribution
• Societal impact from research direct
  non-commercial knowledge transfer, indirect
  third party usage of science and arts

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Case of Latvia CONTROVERSY

• There is always controversy between tendency of
  researchers to encapsulate in the ivory tower
  and the need or tendency to co-operate with the
  innovative businesses
• UL Historically developed as national scale
  university
• University in Latvia put in very competitive
  (business like) environment governement
  financing not exceeding 30 only activities
  where benefits can be seen are implemented
• From the viewpoint of the City Council
  according to the law municipality has to care
  about primary and secondary education, not higher
  education there are 3 universities and more than
  10 higher level education institutions
• Cooperation (historically) on the level of
  enterprises, not municipality
• No small business before 1985 in Latvia

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Cooperation

• According to Latvian tax system municipalities
  are not very much interested in supporting
  business development municipalities receive
  only individual income tax. Different from case
  to case Riga and Valka cases.
• Up to recently municipalities heve not been
  thinking about innovation development
  privatisation and real estate was the issue
• First projects on innovation strategy involving
  Riga region municipality started in 2001 - RIS
• Riga Region Development Board.

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OPPORTUNITIES

• Cooperation agreement UL Riga City Council
  (2003)
• Research and Innovation Scientific evaluation
  of projects and research creating of culture
  environment and developing knowledge based
  society
• Implemented in the form of separate projects
• University of Latvia Development Discussions
  inviting Riga City Council. Challenge to create
  an efficient discussion forum for different
  people academics and municipal representatives,
  (similarly innovation centre discussion forums
  between academics and entrepreneurs).

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Development of Science and Technology parks

• First Technology park with participation of Riga
  City Technology park of Riga Technical
  University in 1995. No investments, no support
• City municipality starts to discuss idea of Riga
  Science and Technology park in 2005.
• Discussions with universities, research
  institutions. Decision on 50 ha land reservation
  made in May 2007. Involvement of universities in
  the development of the park expected.

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Cooperation

• Joint project implemented knowledge centre of
  Riga City Council.
• Joint data base for project management.
  Continuation of the project financing of
  Norvegian government
• Carriere days. Large number of companies
  participating. Students are trained to sell
  themselves in the job market companies are
  encouraged not only to offer jobs, but to informe
  about carriere opportunities in the company. Riga
  City Council has expressed interest to invite
  students to start cooperation with the
  municipality early during their studies.

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Cooperation

• Institute of Geodesy and Geoinformatics of the UL
  and municipal geodesy information company Rigas
  Geometrs.
• Development of precise digital maps of city
  communications
• Development of GPS connected GIS system for very
  precise location of different objects of city
  communications
• Spin off company of the UL implements real
  time mathematical modelling of whether impact on
  heating system of the Riga City contract with
  the Riga Heating Company

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Cooperation

• Reconstruction of the Botanical Garden
  investments, municipal tourism information
  centre
• Development of Science Information Centre
• Students research (master thesis and doctoral
  thesis) solves problems of a city or a region
• 53 i.e. 25 of 47 doctoral thesis in economy are
  related to economic prolems of Latvia, 35 21 of
  59 doctoral thesis in biology are related to
  problems of Latvia
• Indicators of sustainable development of cities
  in Latvia Environmental science
• Development of rural centres and conditions
  determining them since 1970
• Francis, Ilgvars. Transformation of the
  functional structure of territory of Riga City

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Case UL and Valka municipality cooperation

• Valka Valga municipalities One city two
  states - bordertown on Latvian Estonian border

• Accute need educated labour force to prevent
  the brain drain
• Initiative of the municipality proposal to the
  UL to establish a branch of the University in
  Valka, done in 2005
• Joint projects between city of Valka and the
  University

• Development of Valka international study centre
  on the base of the University branch

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Case UL and Livani municipality cooperation

• Reason the same educated labour force needed
  prevention of the brain drain
• Implemented as PHARE project jointly between UL
  and Livani municipality
• Students originated from particular region were
  invited to develop their master thesis solving
  problems of their region, using experience of
  foreign universities

• Part of the ideas were really implemented, main
  result of the project significant number of the
  students returned to their home region, which is
  one of problem regions in Latvia.

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