EUA response to Joint Research Centre report on regional innovation impact assessment for universities
The European University Association (EUA) welcomes the European Commission Joint Research Centre’s report on “A Regional Innovation Impact: Assessment Framework for universities”. The report opens the debate on the impact that universities can have on regional innovation. It also recognises the importance of assessment frameworks and shows the strategic role of universities in their innovation ecosystems.
In summary, the framework assessment presented in the Joint Research Centre’s report is a good initial input to the discussion on how to assess the impact of universities on their regional innovation ecosystems. However, it requires further refinement in the next phase of the analysis. EUA calls on the European Commission to establish a dialogue with universities in order to design an assessment system that fully reflects their impact on regional innovation. EUA is currently involved in the development of other approaches that capture the value of universities in the regional context. The outcomes of this work could provide valuable input to the assessment framework demonstrating the strategic role of universities in their innovation ecosystems.
