European university as an enabler-orchestrator of participatory research, development and innovation. Innovation ecosystem perspective on multistakeholder co-creation

Abstract

This publication discusses the role of universities at the crossroads of European research, innovation and higher education policies when the aim is to tackle large societal problems in collaboration with multiple innovation ecosystem actors. It introduces the idea of higher education institutions as an ‘enabler orchestrator’ supporting the effective and impactful implementation of these policies. The underlying idea of this publication is that the newly created European University alliances operate as Pan-European meta-networks liaising and orchestrating value co-creation with and across regional and thematic innovation ecosystems.

The interconnected European universities innovate, educate, conduct research and serve society in diverse economic, political, cultural, and geographical contexts and situations. Hence, this publication sees the European University alliances as potentially strong Pan-European innovation orchestrators. As orchestrators, they would enable local innovation actors and researchers to liaise with other regions in the most effective way, and facilitate joint learning and value-added in accelerated input-output relationships.

This publication is an outcome of the multistakeholder co-creation orchestration (CCO) profile project of Laurea University of Applied Sciences. The work was supported by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture.