Table of Contents

- Regional systems of innovation - Higher Education in the Nordic Countries - Regions with an old large comprehensive university - Regions with small comprehensive universities - Regions with comprehensive technical universities - Regions with university colleges offering technical educations - Regions with comprehensive mini university - The role of university in regional innovation systems

Reviews

This contribution to the academic entrepreneurship and innovation literature is timely, comprehensive and informative. This first major study of the Nordic model of enterprising universities will be of interest to theoreticians, analysts and practitioners alike, not least for the valuable factual detail that enables exploration of numerous, sometimes idealistic, concepts that ignore the barriers to communication among epistemic communities. Phil Cooke, Centre for Advanced Studies and CESAGen, Cardiff University, United Kingdom In this age of the knowledge economy, the expectations concerning the propulsive role of universities in national and regional economies have reached all-time highs. And yet, the evidence base on which such expectations rest is still remarkably thin. This study makes a major contribution to this debate by producing careful, detailed new empirical research on the impact of universities on the structural transformation and innovation dynamics of regional economies. Its comparative approach, its focus on mid-size regions, and its selection of universities of varying age and structure provide an effective framework for analysis. This study yields many important new insights for policy makers and theoreticians alike. If there is one overarching contribution, it is to demonstrate that generalizations across all universities and all regions are misguided. The historical nuances and local particularities of each case exert a strong influence over the university's impact on regional economic development pathways. Meric S. Gertler, Program on Globalization and Regional Innovation Systems, University of Toronto, Canada This is a timely, interesting and relevant book. Timely because the role of universities in constructing regional advantage is high on the political as well as on the research agenda; interesting because we still lack comparative, detailed empirical studies of the Triple Helix relationships between university, industry and governance, so often spoken about but very seldom documented, and relevant because the book gives concrete evidences of the role universities have played in promoting regional development, which provides an important platform for formulating more precise policies in the future. The Nordic perspective of the book adds to its strength, partly because it gives a good setting for carrying out the comparative analyses, and partly because the Nordic countries are looked on as leaders when it comes to establishing regional innovation systems in an attempt to making innovation policies system- oriented and pro-active. Thus, the book should be studied by academics as well as by practitioners working on regional, national, Nordic and European political levels. Bjorn T. Asheim, Center for Innovation, Research and Competence in the Learning Economy, Lund University, Sweden