The role of university-related intermediation in supporting sustainability transitions in regional innovation initiatives in Germany
by Daniel Hirschmann
Date of Examination:2024-03-01
Date of issue:2024-04-05
Advisor:Prof. Dr. Kilian Bizer
Referee:Prof. Dr. Kilian Bizer
Referee:Prof. Dr. Markus Spiwoks
Referee:Prof. Dr. Katharina Scheidgen
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Abstract
English
This dissertation analyzes the roles of university-related intermediation in supporting sustainability transitions in regional innovation initiatives in Germany. Sustainability transitions are required to address grand societal challenges such as climate change. Innovation is seen as a key driver of these transitions but prevailing innovation policy approaches are insufficient to govern the necessary fundamental change processes. Thus, the more holistic concept of ‘transformative innovation policy’ has been introduced. This new paradigm focuses on enabling sustainability transitions and calls for proactive policy interventions to shape a sustainable future, but it also poses new challenges for stakeholders. In Germany, innovation policy promotes collaborative regional innovation initiatives led by higher education institutions (HEIs). HEIs are considered to be important actors in regional innovation systems as they are involved in knowledge transfer as part of their ‘third mission’ and act as knowledge intermediaries. Against this background, this dissertation investigates the role of HEI-related intermediation in supporting transformative change. The first part of this dissertation examines the challenges to provide directionality towards sustainability in innovation policy practice. These chapters analyze the capabilities of HEI-related intermediation to support transformative change by prioritizing and stimulating innovation activities that contribute to sustainability, and thus identify the ability of HEI-related intermediaries to provide and implement directionality. The second part investigates how HEI-related intermediation supports sustainability transitions. As HEI-related intermediaries have not been considered in research on intermediation in transitions, it is analyzed how HEI-related intermediaries involve in supporting sustainability transitions and take on roles that have been predominantly attributed to ‘transition intermediaries’.
Keywords: sustainability transitions; directionality challenges; transformative innovation policy; transition intermediary; regional innovation systems