Universities are central to regional innovation across Europe
Universities are uniquely placed to support regional development across the linked domains of knowledge generation, innovation and education and European universities endorse the concept of Smart Specialisation as a strategic foundation for regional development. Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation (RIS3) are proving most effective where there is strong co-operation between government, enterprise and universities working together at both strategic and practical levels to strengthen regional innovation.
There is increasing recognition by political actors at European, national and regional levels of the key role of higher education institutions in the definition, implementation and impact enhancement of Smart Specialisation strategies. However, more can be done to better leverage the benefits that research universities bring to regional development across Europe.
