DIMENSION III. PROMOTING REGIONS’ DEVELOPMENT THROUGH USER-INSPIRED RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION
Strategies, policies and practices for the supporting the development of regions through user-inspired research and innovation.
This dimension focuses on the unique characteristics of UAS research and innovation. The UASiMAP project highlights that research, development and innovation (RDI) undertaken in UAS has been primarily user-inspired. The UASiMAP project sees the role of the user as crucial for the RDI of UAS. The user-inspired research, development and innovation tries to highlight the role of user(s) of RDI outcomes on the one hand and on the other hand it bridges the rigid distinction between basic and applied research (Berger, 2009). As Berger writes “the improving the work and experience of users is the ultimate goal of this type of research” (2009, p. 11).
UAS should reflect regional context and needs in its RDI policies and strategies. UAS can provide RDI expert capacities to the regional actors and support them with its facilities (laboratories, libraries, IT capacity, equipment etc.). UAS can support the outputs of regional RDI. UAS is also important agent of knowledge from region to surrounding world and vice-versa.
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III.1. Reflecting the regional context and aspects in the UAS RDI strategies & policies – profile, capacity, partnerships
The regional context of RDI should be clearly mentioned in UAS RDI strategies & policies, with specific aims, which helps to develop better RDI cooperation.
III.1.1. do regional demands and opportunities (explicitly) influence UAS RDI strategies & policies?
You should consider if your institution has such a general RDI strategy and/ or policy. If yes, do they address the demands and opportunities arising from the region (specific, not in a general way) where you operate?
Example of level 5: Your institutional RDI strategy is significantly and explicitly based on regional demands, and the majority of institutional priorities relate to these demands.
Example of level 3: Your institutional RDI strategy is partly but explicitly based on regional demands, and some institutional priorities relate to these demands.
III.1.2. does the regional context / aspect (description of capacities: HR, financial, infrastructure) feature in UAS RDI strategies & policies?
The question focuses on reflection of regional context and / or aspect in your strategies and policies which relate to research, development, and innovation (RDI). Your RDI strategies & policies include regional context and aspects including capacities (HR, financial, infrastructure etc) related to the regional development.
Example of level 5: The role of UAS RDI in relation to the region is clearly and well described in strategies/policies. The strategies/policies include well planned / specific all necessary capacities (financial, HR, infrastructure) for reaching these aims, including a clear time plan, specific partnership.
Example of level 3: The role of UAS RDI in relation to the region is described in strategies/policies. However, some of it is not described clearly. These strategies/policies include only partially planned some capacities (financial, HR, infrastructure) reaching these aims, including a clear time plan and plan of partnership. There is space for improvement.
III.2.Providing expert capacity for regional actors’ development
Expert capacity means e.g. direct cooperation based on individual agreement(s) or expertise provided on basis of the framework agreement, (some) bachelor or diploma thesis are done on the topic required by regional actors (public, private or NGO´s) etc.
III.2.1. does UAS provide expertise to regional actors?
Your employees or students can provide expertise for public regional bodies in various forms: consultation or expert opinions, analysis, solving problems, (opinion) surveys, feasibility studies. Try to judge frequency according to your situation (“fit for purpose”).
Example of level 5: Such expertise for regional actors happens regularly, your UAS provides systematically expertise to regional actors. There is little or no room for further improvement.
Example of level 3: Such expertise for regional actors happens occasionally and only some units provide it. There are multiple areas for further improvement.
III.2.2. is the regional impact of these activities visible? (Voluntary)
Explanation: Try to judge critically (!) if the regional impact of such cooperation (which are identified in the previous section of III.2.1 lead to qualitative change(s) in the region. E.g. Expertise of UAS had a visible impact on the region in a given area(s), i.e. areas or fields in your institution operates. You can provide a qualitative explanation below in the Summary section (e.g. you have good feedback to results of UAS expertise from regional actors).
Example of level 5: UAS RDI expertise have positive regional impact in many areas / fields. Most of outcomes of this expertise is evident and visible to the regional community.
Example of level 3: UAS RDI expertise have positive regional impact in some areas / fields. Some outcomes of this expertise are evident and visible to the regional community.
III.3.Providing the regional actors with access to the UAS RDI / facilities and equipment
Facilities refers to any technical (laboratory, machines, science parks etc.), IT (VR, software) equipment, libraries etc. Offering these facilities can support regional industry development.
III.3.1. are UAS facilities / equipment, such as laboratories, libraries, (easily) accessible for regional actors?
If your institution has any technical (laboratory, machines, etc.), IT (VR, software) equipment or library(ies), you can offer access to regional actors. There is not important if this service to the region is provided for free or not. Take into consideration all stakeholders from the four group of quadruple helix. If you would like, you can describe them e.g., in the Summary section.
Example of level 5: Your UAS provides such equipment or facilities regularly and systematically; regional actors use them and there is little or no room for further improvement.
Example of level 3: Your UAS provides such equipment or facilities from time to time. There are multiple areas for further improvement.
III.3.2. does the UAS collect evidence of the impact and effectiveness of this use of these facilities? (Voluntary)
If you have such equipment or facilities, try to judge if you have some system (or at least some criteria) for assessment of impact or effectiveness to the regional actors. At this point, it is not how impact or effectiveness is defined, but the fact that you have developed some sort of assessment (system) which suits to your situation.
Example of level 5: Your institution has developed a system to measure or assess the effectiveness or impact of such cooperation between UAS and regional actors. There is little or no room for further improvement. Based on this system, the UAS knows what is happening /has happened regarding provision of facility/equipment and if such the provision has led to a positive or negative impact.
Example of level 3: Your institution has some individual criteria for assessment of effectiveness or impact of such cooperation between UAS and regional actors. There are multiple areas for further improvement.
III.4.Supporting outputs of regional RDI cooperation
Cooperation between UAS and regional actors generates outputs: Spin-offs, starts-ups, innovation centres, business incubators, fab-labs, research projects, entrepreneurial activities of staff & students, alumni activities, patents, practical publication.
III.4.1. do these outputs relate to regional demands or actors?
If you have such outputs try to judge how strongly these are connected with the region (demands or actors). These outputs could be more than regional (they could be results of cooperation on the national or even international levels) but the region should be “included” in cooperation. You can describe in the Summary section what kinds of outputs your institution deals with most and why.
Example of level 5: These outputs systematically relate to the region and there is little or no room for further improvement.
Example of level 3: These outputs relate to the region in some cases There are multiple areas for further improvement.
III.4.2. does UAS have systematic financial support for these RDI outputs?
Try to answer the question if there is systematic financial support at your UAS for creation of RDI outputs for the region? Or are these outputs results of individual efforts of your employees or occasional projects?
Example of level 5: Your institution has well developed (and verified) financial support system for RDI outputs. The system is regularly improved if needed.
Example of level 3: Your institution provides financial support for RDI outputs only individually. There exist some simple criteria for evaluation, but a systematic approach is not in place yet.
III.4.3. is the impact of these outputs on the region visible? (Voluntary)
Try to judge critically (!) if the regional impact of such outputs (which are identified in previous section III.4 lead to qualitative change(s) in region. The products of your research cooperation have made qualitative change in region. Thanks these outputs your regional partners or region offer added value. You can provide qualitative explanation below in Summary section.
Example of level 5: These outputs have positive regional impact in many areas / fields. Most of outcomes of this expertise is evident and visible to the regional community.
Example of level 3: These outputs have positive regional impact in some areas / fields. Some outcomes of this expertise are evident and visible to the regional community.
III.5.Promoting transfer of knowledge to and knowledge exchange with the region
Knowledge transfer can be organization of (international) conferences, workshops, events, publication (research) and popularization articles, publication of information on the website, social networks and in regional media, public events, (scientific) festivals.
III.5.1. does the UAS promotes region-based research and / or regionally relevant RDI?
You can promote the transfer of knowledge and knowledge exchange via conferences, workshops, events, the publication (research) and popularization articles, publication information on the website, social networks and in regional media, public events, (scientific) festivals.
Example of level 5: The promotion or (UAS) region-based and / or regionally relevant research and knowledge exchange is done systematically, it is a part of UAS strategies and policies. UAS has communication plan / strategy on how to promote regionally based research to the public.
Example of level 3: The promotion or (UAS) region-based and / or regionally relevant research and knowledge exchange happen occasionally. There is a big space for improvement.
III. 5.2. are events organized by your UAS (such as conferences, workshops etc.) which promote regional knowledge internationally focused?
Example of level 5: The promotion or (UAS) region-based and / or regionally relevant research and knowledge exchange is done systematically, it is a part of UAS strategies and policies. UAS has communication plan / strategy on how to promote regionally based research to the public.
Example of level 3: The promotion or (UAS) region-based and / or regionally relevant research and knowledge exchange happen occasionally. There is a big space for improvement.
III.5.3. is the UAS involved in research projects based on interregional cooperation?
Take into consideration events which have foreign participants, and/or present results from international projects, etc. and try to judge their frequency (compared to non-international events at the UAS).
Example of level 5: Most of projects are based on interregional cooperation.
Example of level 3: Some of the projects are based on interregional cooperation.
III.5.4. does your institutional communication strategy seek to share region-based research or regionally-relevant RDI with regional actors?
Example of level 5: Most of events have an international focus.
Example of level 3: Some of the events have an international focus.
Try to focus on projects in which you are involved (in the last 3-5 years) with participants/members (regardless of who is the project leader) from different regions (compared to other projects your institution has). It should be not only other UAS but other actors (public or private) as well..
