Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Paul Benneworth
Author-Name-First: Paul
Author-Name-Last: Benneworth
Author-Name: Nadine Zeeman
Author-Name-First: Nadine
Author-Name-Last: Zeeman
Title: Measuring the contribution of higher education to innovation capacity in the EU
Abstract: There has been a massive expansion of higher education in recent decades as part of
attempts to create workforces with the skills to be able to compete successfully in the
context of the knowledge based economy. At the same time, there is widespread unrest
that universities are failing to respond to these new demands and are continuing to act
as ‘ivory towers’ outside of rather than driving forward society. A key challenge for
European policy-makers is therefore distinguishing the extent to which universities are
realising their potential to contribute to the emergence of the knowledge-based economy.
In this working paper we try to provide evidence on the key factors determining the
contribution of higher education institutions (HEI) to innovation capabilities and expand
the understanding of this contribution beyond traditional measures of the role of HEI on
innovation capabilities. In this sense, we focus on the relevance of spill-overs through
knowledge-transfer mechanisms as well as through human capital mechanisms. 
Length: 20 pages
Creation-Date: 2016
File-URL: https://ris.utwente.nl/ws/portalfiles/portal/14233356
File-Format: Application/pdf
Number: 201603
Keywords: contribution, human capital, indicators, innovation capacity, knowledge transfer, spill-overs, universities
Handle: RePEc:chs:wpachs:201603