Higher Education and Territorial Development: A missing link?

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Higher Education and Territorial

Development

A missing link?

Dr. James Karlsen, Senior Researcher

2

Structure of the Speech• Is there a missing link in the higher

education system?• Structure of the speech:

– The missing link concept– Regional development in Norway– A trend towards a more educated population in

Norway– An example from regional development in

Norway– Conclusion and some questions for discussion

3

Different types of knowledge (1)

1. Theoretical/analytical knowledge – Abstract, codified, universal, and is created by

following scientific methods and is verified by other researchers through academic review processes

– This type of knowledge you learn at school or by reading academic books

2. Practical knowledge – How things functions in real life– This type of knowledge you learn at work and in

interaction with others

4

Different types of knowledge (2)3. Knowing how

– The capability of combining different types of knowledge in action

– It is expert knowledge, it is knowing– A part of this knowledge is tacit, you know more than you

can tell• Where do you learn this kind of knowledge?

– At university? As a theoretical concept, YES and in some studies YES, but in general NO

– At work? YES, but as a tacit learning process– Through life long learning, you start as a novice and might

end up as an expert– Most educations lack an approch that combines theoretical

and practical knowledge 5

Knowing how – the missing link?

6

Theoretical/analytical Praxis Practical knowledge knowledge

- Know why - Knowing how - Know what

The knowledge society • In Norway more and more of the population

has higher education (Bachelor, Master and PhD) – The number of students have quadrupled over

the last 40 years, reaching 230.000 in 2010– Most higher degree candidates are employed in

the public sectors of health and social services, education or public administration

– Higher eduction is becoming more and more theoretical

• Society is becoming more and more complex• Expert knowledge rules 7

The knowledge challenge

• How to use knowledge as a strategy for regional development?

• One example is to transfer analytical knowledge from universty to society (technology transfer, linear transfer of knowledge)

• This has not been that succesfull in Norway • Another example is to initiate collaboration between

university and firms with the aim of creating innovations.

• This has been done in the VRI program

8

VRI (Policy tools for regional innovation)

• Initiated and financed by Research Council Norway

• Co-financed and managed by the counties (there are 15 regional VRI programs)

• One of them is in the Agder region, which I represents, and where Agderforskning has the operative responsibility

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Organizational structure

10

VRI Board

Knowledge brokers

Research team

CoordinatorIn

dust

ry

Indu

stry

Indu

stry

Some results from the program

• The program has been important for development of networking/cluster organizations in the region

• A lot of research results have been published the last years

• However, there is one thing we are struggling with and that is to create a space for common reflection and learning between researchers, knowledge brokers and the board

• To make knowing how to a collective capability

11

12

VRI Board

Knowledge brokers

Research team

CoordinatorIn

dust

ry

No real sharing of knowing how

Indu

stry

Indu

stry

Questions • A collective knowing how would be a co-

generated knowledge shared by the ones working with the same project/process

• Can there be built a bridge between individual knowing how and a collective knowing how?

• How can this be done?• Can this be built into the higher education

system? • What is your reflections about making knowing

how more explict?

13

Thank you, gracias, takk

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