Project Leader: Dr. hab. Dominik Antonowicz, Professor at Nicolaus Copernicus University (NCU)
The new role of higher education is closely linked to changes occurring in its broader social and economic environment. Traditionally, universities have pursued two fundamental and interconnected goals: the dissemination of existing knowledge (educating students and sharing knowledge with society) and the creation of new knowledge (scientific research). However, the rapid development of the knowledge-based economy has imposed numerous new and significant challenges and expectations on higher education institutions, mainly related to shifts in economic structures, urban development, the growing role of innovation, job creation, and support for local communities. Profound social and economic structural transformations necessitate a critical reassessment of the current functioning of higher education and the search for new frameworks that meet evolving societal expectations, particularly regarding the building of strong and sustainable relationships with external stakeholders.
The primary objective of our project is to conceptualize and operationalize the relationships between higher education institutions and external actors. The project aims to enhance understanding of how universities shape their social, economic, and political environments, and, most importantly, how external actors benefit from collaboration with universities. Previous research on higher education has largely focused on internal academic processes, whereas this project seeks to expand the research perspective by conducting a comprehensive analysis of the scope and manner of universities’ impact on external stakeholders.
To achieve this goal, an interdisciplinary research team will be created, with ambitious aspirations to broaden the current scope of higher education studies to include aspects related to its external influence. Consequently, the project serves as an invitation for collaboration among researchers from various fields, including regional (urban) development, public policy and management, social innovation, and education, aiming to establish a leading research hub on higher education in Europe.