The sixth EPRC webinar of the 2020-21 Series was held December 2nd 2020 (12:00 – 13:00 UK) over Zoom. Dr Maria Salomaa presented her PhD research on ‘Characterising Universities’ Role in the Implementation of Structural Funds Operational Programmes’.
Salomaa explored the under-researched topic of universities as key beneficiaries of these funds and their role in the implementation of SF activities. Salomaa argues that, because there is evidence these funds have contributed to creating the foundations of regional systems of innovation and have reinforced universities’ regional engagement, taking part or leading Structural Funds projects may be a concrete way to engage with regional development and initiate entrepreneurial activities beyond spinoffs and other research spillovers.
Her research question was “How (entrepreneurial) universities can manage and deliver their regional engagement activities through SF programmes?”. She employed qualitative research in a series of in-depth case studies across Europe, and presented on three of them in this webinar: the University Consortium of Pori in Finland, the University of Lincoln in the UK, and the University of Aveiro, in Portugal. This formed the basis for creating a typology of different types of university-led SF projects:
- Top-down institutional SF projects;
- Academic-led SF projects;
- Professional-led SF projects;
- Outsourced SF activities.
She develops this typology by identifying the contribution each of these projects would have to the university third mission and their potential in having a transformative impact on the rural regions where the universities are located.
Nonetheless, universities have identified challenges in university-led SF projects, namely related to collaboration, university organisational culture, SF administrative procedures and SF project outputs.
Dr Maria Salomaa is a visiting research fellow at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom and she currently works as a RDI specialist at the Tampere University of Applied Sciences, Finland. She holds a PhD in Management from Lincoln International Business School (UK) and MA degrees in Higher Education Studies and Theatre and Drama research from University of Tampere (Finland). Her research interests are related to the university third mission, regional development and RDI policies and funding instruments on both national and EU level.
Dr. Salomaa’s presentation can be accessed here, and the recording of the webinar can be viewed on the EPRC’s YouTube page here.
Our next webinar will take place next year, on Wednesday January 20th, when Dr Alexandra Polido from the University of Aveiro in Portugal will present on sustainable development discourse in smart specialisation strategies. Future webinars of the EPRC will delve on topics of regional policy and development.
If you would like to attend, watch out for updates and registrations by following @eprc_eu on Twitter.
