Abstract:
The impact of universities on the economic wellbeing and innovative potential of regions has been the object of intense scholarly and policy interest in the last years. Despite this interest, a clear picture is missing in relation to the roles universities are seen to play, the benefits of HEI activities and the mechanisms through which they occur. This paper proposes a review and a critique of current views on the role of universities and their associated policy implications. This paper argues that the literature provides a fragmented account of HEIs regional engagement and highlights the need for an integrated approach combining firm-level considerations, with institutional and strategic issues affecting universities engagement, and regional specific determinants shaping localised interactions.
