1 The Role of Small, Comprehensive Universities in Regional Economic

• Main Authors: Peter Arbo, Heikki Eskelinen
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Key words; university; regional development; regional policy; university-industry links; triple helix model; Norway; Tromsø
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.544.1728; http://www-sre.wu-wien.ac.at/ersa/ersaconfs/ersa03/cdrom/papers/530.pdf

In the recent past, expectations concerning universities have emphasised their active role as driving forces in industrial and regional development. Obviously, this challenge is especially demanding in the universities which have primarily focussed on traditional academic teaching and research activities, and which are located in regions suffering from structural problems. The paper investigates the experience of two Nordic universities, Joensuu in Finland, and Tromsø in Norway, which are comparable in several respects. The triple helix framework is used as the theoretical point of reference. In particular, the investigation attempts to clarify the factors which condition the transformation of a university from the academic unit producing qualified labour force for the welfare state towards a policy actor initiating new economic activities. Drawing from the comparison of the two cases, the conclusions focus on the realisation of a university’s local and regional development potential.