Spatial profiling of HEIs and the potential for regional innovation systems in Ireland

1. Spatial profiling of HEIs and the potential for regional innovation systems in Ireland Prof. Rob Kitchin NIRSA, NUI Maynooth

2. Higher Education & Economic Development Context – Innovation Ireland (2010); Smart Economy (2010) National innovation ecosystem – complex entities • Entrepreneurs and enterprises • Investment in R&D • Education system, particularly HEIs (critical thinking, creativity and innovation) • Finance (venture capital) • Tax and regulatory environment • Public policy and institutions • “Knowledge is the currency of the innovation economy and the education system is pivotal in making innovation happen” (Innovation Ireland, p. 3)

3. Higher Education Landscape Context – Higher Education Strategy (2011) Key functions: • teaching and learning; • research and knowledge transfer; • external engagement Themes: Increased participation, new types of graduates, support for economic, social and cultural development; internationalisation A new framework for HE • mission differentiation • regional clusters – link with National Spatial Strategy • ‘directed diversity’ - end of laissez faire in higher education

4. Higher Education & Regional Organisation • Context – existing functional territories of HEIs • HEIs in Ireland have a well defined set of functional territories which map regionally • Some overlap of catchments, but fairly differentiated • No one institution has a truly national catchment • Differentiation of vertical linkages

5. The Universities NUIM DCU UCD TCD NUIG UL UCC

6. IoTs CIT DIT DKIT GMIT ITS WIT

7. Higher Education & Population Dynamics • 1991-2011 increase of over 1m (almost 30%) • Strong <19 demographic growth in next two decades • Regionally differentiated in pop demographics and education profile re. lifelong learning

8. National Age Profiles • Third-level population potentials (15-19 age cohort) have actually been in decline since 2002 • State decrease of -9.6% between ‘02 and ’11 • 283,019 within the 15-19 age cohort recorded in the 2011 Census • Meath is the only Local Authority with an increase (+2%)

9. National Age Profiles • Massive bulk of population coming down the line in all regions/local authorities and catchments • State increases of • +28.3% in 0-4 Age Cohort between 2002 and 2011 • +21.5% in 5-9 Age Cohort between 2002 and 2011 • In ten years time this could lead to very high levels of Higher Education enrolment

10. Regional Age Profile Projections • Between 2006 and 2026 the number of young persons (i.e. those aged 0-14 years) is projected to increase by 28.8% in the State as a whole • Projected Increases will vary across the regions (based on CSO Regional Population Projections 2006-2026)

11. Example: NUIM Catchment • Approx 5,500 enrolments to NUIM over the last 3 years (based on IT Feeder Schools – not inc. mature/international, etc) • Main catchment: Kildare (16.6%), Dublin City (12.4%), Meath (9.5), South Dublin (9.5%), Fingal (8.6%), Louth (5.8%), Westmeath (4.1%) and Offaly (3.4%) • Current 15-19 Age Cohort: 104,095 • Current 10-14 Age Cohort: 110,355 • Current 5-9 Age Cohort: 121,504 • Current 0-4 Age Cohort: 139,949 (projected enrolment = 7,394)

12. Higher Education & Regional Innovation System • Given these contexts (economic policy, HE strategy, existing regionalisation, population dynamics) one path forward is the active development of HE-led regional innovation systems • Within regions, autonomous but connected HEIs work in competitive collaboration, sharing and aligning HE provision and engaging with a region’s civil society and public/private sectors • At the same time retain and encourage diagonal and vertical linkages (cross-regional and international). Universities are national drivers of growth, not just regional drivers • This has already begun to happen through SIF, PRTLI, SFI initiatives and HEI strategic alliances, industry partnerships

13. Higher Education & RISs • From ‘districts’ & ‘clusters’ to ‘regional innovation systems’ (RIS) • RIS is more generic – emphasis on economic and social relations and networks spanning the public & private sectors within regions embedded in national and global production systems. • Regional Innovation Platforms  Constructed Regional Advantage • Regions recognised as key drivers of innovation – key attributes include density of actors, connectedness, knowledge bases, flexibility and mobility in labour markets • HEIs as key players in regional innovation ecosystems – focus on human capital formation and enhancement, knowledge spillovers, translation and knowledge transfer mechanisms, catalysts for strategic partnerships, global networking –> potential for enduring transformations

14. RIS, types of HEI and mix Knowledge: domains, providers and diffusion • Analytical – know why – ‘blue skies’ R&D • Synthetic – know how – applied science & engineering, • Symbolic – know who – creative arts & humanities • In reality each type provided by most HEIs, but intensity and density of provision varies by HEI and region • Institutional diversity a strength, but greater impact via system coherence • Highest levels of innovation and added value when all 3 combined • RIS seeks to provide all three through collaboration and alignment to regional profile • Need to recognize that: • HEI is complementary to regional development, but it is not subservient to it. • the diverse roles of HEIs as sites of learning and the value of Engaged rather than Entrepreneurial approach

15. Types of Higher Education Institutions • Humboldt / Newman University --- focus on ‘formation of the person’ • Engaged University --- origins in late C19th US land-grant universities • Entrepreneurial University --- ‘triple helix model’ based on new relationships between academia, industry and government. • Engaged University • Knowledge as a public good supported by open science • Knowledge value determined by peer assessment within the university system on basis of cognitive rationality • Autonomy and fiduciary system are fundamental • Entrepreneurial University • Knowledge as a commodity to generate revenue for providers • Knowledge value often determined by external agents guided by economic rationality • Subservient to economic and political interests

16. Conclusions • HEIs are to come under increasing pressure over next two decades • Huge demographic pressures to expand • Political pressure to serve society and economy in more explicit ways; to provide more differentiated HEI landscape • Public/political pressure to be recognised as ‘world class’ institutions • Under-resourced and uncoordinated incremental expansion problematic, at same time needs to be self-organising and organic and to retain autonomy • One path forward is regional innovation systems that complement and strengthen regional economies whilst scaling to national and international HEI landscape • Links together autonomous institutions into strategic alliances to provide complementary and differentiated HE teaching, research and engagement • Such RIS in development, but at early stages • Requires alignment of other government policy such as National Spatial Strategy and National Development Plan and investment

17. www.airo.ie airomaps.nuim.ie/HEIcatchments Rob.Kitchin@nuim.ie