This technical report presents the results of a cross-case analysis of the eleven case studies conducted under the Higher Education for Smart Specialisation project during the period 2016-2020. The analysis identifies key themes and innovative practice examples from across case studies, developing a structured typology of innovative practices for higher education engagement in innovation ecosystems in the context of the design and implementation of Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3). More concretely, it contributes to identify: (i) The contribution of innovative practices to their regional innovation ecosystems and the design and implementation of S3. (ii) The key features of these practices that have made possible the transformative role of higher education in their regional innovation system, with particular attention to how they integrate education, research and innovation.

This technical report presents the findings of the case study carried out in Northern Netherlands on the role of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the design and implementation of the Smart Specialisation Strategy (RIS3). It is one of the case studies undertaken in the project Higher Education for Smart Specialisation (HESS), an initiative of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the Directorate General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture. There is a long tradition of higher education in the Northern Netherlands, with the key characteristic of a strong presence of Universities of Applied Sciences and RUG University of Groningen. The regional HEIs are actively involved in strong bilateral collaborations projects and clusters and living labs encouraging collaborations within the regional innovation ecosystems, being part of key innovation ecosystem governance structures. Although regional HEIs have individually been very effective in driving particular projects, there is still not a collective institutional space for HEIs, undermining a strategic agenda for HE in the region. The Northern Netherlands has a strong innovation ecosystem around a number of established sectors where there are robust relationships between HEIs and companies with innovative infrastructure. In the long-standing culture of collaboration of the regional innovation ecosystem, the introduction of the RIS3 has constituted an opportunity to a concerted effort to streamline innovation governance and to integrate activities to stimulate innovation. The key regional economic development issue remains the fact that it is a relatively sparse economic environment, which challenges the regional innovation governance. The Northern Netherlands has the potential to function as a knowledge economy more efficiently at the level of the North through a better integration of the provincial knowledge economies. The connectedness of SMEs into regional innovation networks can be improved building a natural "innovation escalator" by which individual connections with SMEs grow, become networks and evolves into key regional strengths. The region attracts a growing number of talented students, which can help build stronger connections between HEIs and regional innovators to strengthen firms' innovation capacity and help in their retention. Finally, HEIs occupy a strong position in the existing regional innovation ecosystem, as a site for experimentation and reflection, and it is key that they are encouraged to continue that work. The case study has coordinated closely with the ongoing discussions on the new RIS3 for the Multi-annual Financial Framework 2021-2027, contributing with findings that have helped the regional stakeholders in the definition of some of its future elements.

Higher education has been considered both an 'engine' for innovation and a 'catalyst' for sustainability development; the integration of both the innovation engine and sustainability catalyst roles are discussed in a recently published Special Issue on the theme of Higher Education in Innovation Ecosystems in the journal Sustainability. Based on 16 articles contributing to the Special Issue from various perspectives, the Special Issue editors have developed an overarching framework about the relationships between higher education and innovation ecosystems. In the framework, we re-define the concept of innovation ecosystem and identify emerging roles of universities in developing sustainable innovation ecosystems. Re-conceptualization of innovation ecosystems In the editorial of the Special Issue, innovation ecosystem is defined as: co-innovation networks in which actors from organizations concerned with the functions of knowledge production, wealth creation, and norm control interact with each other in forming co-evolution and interdependent relations (both direct or indirect) in cross-geographical contexts and through which new ideas and approaches from various internal and external sources are integrated into a platform to generate shared values for the sustainable transformation of society. Compared with most commonly cited definitions of innovation ecosystem, our definition highlights three new aspects of interactions in co-innovation networks: cross-sectoral, transnational, and indirect, drawing insights from the literature including innovation, geography, and biology studies. The roles of universities in innovation ecosystems The emerging roles of universities in innovation ecosystems are as follows: (1) The role of universities is changing from being a central player in technology transfer to being an anchor in knowledge exchange; (2) universities are assuming a new role in trust-building between actors in innovation ecosystems; and (3) universities are not merely an entrepreneurial universities but are also institutional entrepreneur in the innovation ecosystem. The three emerging roles all indicate that universities are becoming the catalysts for sustainable development in innovation ecosystems. Knowledge exchange is crucial for sustainability; trust is the foundation of the sustainable networks; social entrepreneurship is indispensable for sustainable social change. Evidence in wider contexts A total of 44 authors from 10 countries contributed to the discussions on the changing roles of higher education in innovation ecosystems from varying perspectives. They also report transformations within higher education and universities' responses to both external and internal transformations. When addressing these issues, the studies provide both theoretical and methodological contributions to the research on higher education in innovation ecosystems. The 16 articles can be generally placed into four categories: (1) new demands for universities arising from the transformation in society toward innovation ecosystems, (2) transformations within higher education responding to emerging societal demands, (3) dynamics of the interaction of university with other innovation actors in a transnational context, and (4) academic and student mobility for higher education innovation. Calling for a new research agenda While societal changes demand broader roles of universities, they also call for and leads to substantial changes within the internal fabric of the university. The innovations in both society and the universities necessitate a renewed understanding of higher education in society, which has become a new research agenda in studies on innovation in higher education. We hope our Special Issue will inspire and encourage more scholars to join the research field.

Higher education contributes to the development of countries and their competitiveness in a global marketplace. However, to remain relevant and meet the demands of an ever-changing world, institutions and their operations must progress in unison with the changing world in which they function. Innovation can play a critical role in transforming and advancing practice and therein address socio-economic, organizational, operational and social challenges. The complexity and scope of higher education opens up the possibilities and potential for innovations to transpire in diverse settings and contexts. This book is a collection of easy-to-follow, vignette-based innovations that have transformed or advanced practice and in doing so contributed to ensuring the relevance and value of higher education in a continuously changing world.

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) can be key players in regional innovation ecosystems and for the design and implementation of Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3). However, regions in Europe are diverse, in terms of their economic and institutional structures, higher education systems, and competences and capabilities for S3 management. The project on Higher Education for Smart Specialisation (HESS) has included several case studies where historic and internationally renowned universities have not played a significant role in S3. This can be explained by a variety of factors, from weak strategies and regional institutions, problems with multi-level governance, to a lack of local engagement by the universities concerned. On the other hand, this case study of Lower Austria shows that even in a region with a small higher education sector, an absence of traditional research-intensive universities and an economy in transition from agriculture, that HEIs both within and outside the region can be important partners for S3 managers.

One of the most pivotal tasks of a regional government is to find different and innovative ways to develop their economies. Formulating universities, in that respect, potentially holds the key to competitive global economic success. Smart Specialization Strategies and the Role of Entrepreneurial Universities is a crucial reference source that examines a new competitive paradigm where universities can act as a partner institution, policy actor, and producer of knowledge that can affect the potential for economic growth and development of regions. While highlighting topics such as economic development, entrepreneurship ecosystem evolution, and regional competitiveness, this publication explores the varying dynamics that are evolving toward the successful mobilization of university resources on regional economies. This book is ideally designed for policymakers, administrators, researchers, developers, academicians, marketers, and business professionals.

This technical report presents the findings of the case study carried out in Lithuania on the role of Lithuanian Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the design and implementation of the Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3). It is one of the case studies undertaken in the project Higher Education for Smart Specialisation (HESS), an initiative of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the Directorate General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture. The research shows that the Smart Specialisation Strategy in Lithuania has constituted an important framework to coordinate research and innovation policies and investments with a significant improvement from past experiences, creating a space for a participatory process of innovation stakeholders. The higher education institutions are actively participating in the S3 process, with a good correlation of the S3 selected priority areas and the higher education research capacities, but with no significant changes in the internal decision-making. The higher education system presents an unbalanced funding model, with most incomes devoted to education activities rather than research and innovation. The research and innovation system of Lithuania is highly dependent on European Structural and Investment Funds, as national funding is comparatively very small, creating specific challenges in the implementation of the Smart Specialisation concept. Too narrowly defined priority areas can create a lock down effect in terms of broad support to innovation with limited funding sources to counterbalance. There is a growing demand of the productive sector of skilled students in engineering/STEM fields. This has increased demands of discussion spaces between public authorities, business and higher education to re-balance the attraction of students from social sciences to STEM studies, as well as a stronger policy to attract international talent. A long-term agreement between the Government and HEIs regarding the future HE educational offer, research priorities and resources could strengthen the contribution of higher education to S3, building on the experience of this case study and bringing forward its recommendations.