Conceptualizing the Engagement of Universities in Regional Development in a Knowledge-based Society

Abstract

Following the emergence of a knowledge-based economy, the role of universities in regional development has been re-evaluated through considering localized interactive learning processes. This paper tries to identify the role of universities for regional development and the variables effecting on their localized engagement in regional development. We argues that universities cannot be viewed as a single angle, because the behaviors of a university are influenced by the degree of their independence from regional and national governments. Likewise, the contributions of universities to their regional development can be differential depending on the organizational characteristics of individual universities, the social, political, and economical contexts of a given region and nation, and complex relations between and within universities and other regional stakeholders. These variables can be both the drivers and barriers when each university responds to regional needs. Based on the literature review, we suggest that the explanatory factors of shaping the engagement of universities in regional development can be classified into four categories: the characteristics of individual universities, the national context, the local and regional context, and the policy context.