Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Ritzen, Jo
Author-Email: ritzen@merit.unu.edu
Author-Workplace-Name: UNU-MERIT
Title: Making ideas work for society: University cooperation in knowledge transfer
Abstract: Sustainable economic growth is more brought about by ideas, knowledge 
	 and human capital than by physical capital, like machines, buildings or 
	 land. Universities are one of the sources of ideas and of human capital. 
	 We focus on the third function of universities, next to education and 
	 research, in particular on knowledge transfer. Knowledge transfer is 
	 highly visible in agglomerations like Silicon Valley. Many countries 
	 nowadays have strategies to step up knowledge transfer as a source of 
	 sustainable economic growth.  
	 Knowledge is recognised to have its strongest potential impact close to 
	 the place where it is generated. This makes a university attractive to 
	 the region in which it is located. The university contributes to 
	 sustainable economic growth not only through the expenditures associated 
	 with the running of the university, but perhaps more by the knowledge 
	 transfer. This involves amongst others partnerships with business.  
	 Knowledge transfer does not come by itself. It requires action and 
	 strategy on the part of the university, the region and local public or 
	 private actors (businesses and public organisations). It appears that US 
	 and UK top-universities are more prominent not only in realising 
	 cooperation with business, but also among each other.
Classification-JEL: I21, I25, O31, O32, O33, O34
Keywords: Knowledge transfer, innovation, public-private collaboration,
	 university-business cooperation, triple helix 
Series: UNU-MERIT Working Papers
Creation-Date: 20181109
Number: 2018-042
File-URL: https://unu-merit.nl/publications/wppdf/2018/wp2018-042.pdf
File-Format: application/pdf
File-Size: 275 Kb
Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2018042