News from the IPL
INTRODUCTION
This newsletter is published by The Innovation Policy Lab at the Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto, and sponsored by the Ministry of Research and Innovation. The views and ideas expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Ontario Government.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
New York State
The $709.2 million in awards are part of the state’s ongoing Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) initiative begun in 2011. A total of 852 projects in the ten council regions will receive a portion of the $709.2 million in awards. Projects were pitched by representatives of the regional councils to a team of state agency commissioners and policy experts, who ranked the projects based on the state’s criteria. Five of the councils, including the Mid-Hudson, Long Island, Southern Tier, Finger Lakes and Central New York regions received larger totals in recognition of their performance on past and current projects.
Michigan Governor Plans to Create a Department of Talent and Economic Development
Michigan Radio
Governor Rick Snyder recently signed an executive order to create a new state department with a focus on improving the state’s workforce. It will be called the Department of Talent and Economic Development. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation will be moved into it. So will the state’s unemployment agency. Governor Snyder says developing talent will give Michigan an edge over other states and countries in attracting employers.
Editor's Pick
Measuring the Digital Economy: A New Perspective
OECD
The growing role of the digital economy in daily life has heightened demand for new data and measurement tools. Internationally comparable and timely statistics combined with robust cross-country analyses are crucial to strengthen the evidence base for digital economy policy making, particularly in a context of rapid change. This report presents indicators traditionally used to monitor the information society and complements them with experimental indicators that provide insight into areas of policy interest. The key objectives of this publication are to highlight measurement gaps and propose actions to advance the measurement agenda.
Innovation Policy
Research Excellence in the 21st Century: Funding a Healthy Research Ecosystem
University Alliance, UK
Research excellence can no longer be narrowly defined in terms of its reach within the academic community, but must deliver and articulate the wider benefits of research for society. Impact and collaboration are essential to delivering societal and economic benefits from excellent research cost-effectively, but could be further recognized and incentivized by funding systems.The report also argues that research funding in the UK has become increasingly concentrated. It says that 75 per cent of mainstream quality-related funding from the funding councils was directed to institutions in the upper 20 per cent of the funding distribution in 2013–14, up from 73 per cent. This fifth quintile also receives over 90 per cent of research council funding.
Cities, Clusters & Regions
Technology Transfer and Commercialization in Greater Philadelphia
CEO Council for Growth
This report examines how Greater Philadelphia compares with other regions in the country, provides Key recommendations to advance our commercialization potential, and explores what opportunities are available for future success. This report advances an overarching goal that in the next 10 years, the region’s research institutions will birth 10 companies that grow to a liquidity event (e.g. acquisition or initial public offering) of $100 million or more. Four actions are also recommended to help the region realize its commercialization potential.
Statistics & Indicators
Canada’s Universities in the World: AUCC Internationalization Survey
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC)
Results from a new survey by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada highlight how universities across the country are highly engaged in and committed to internationalization.This survey, the first of its kind since AUCC’s last such survey in 2006, presents an authoritative picture of internationalization activities across Canadian universities. It presents key findings in how internationalization activities are prioritized and carried out in university administration, strategic partnerships, research, student mobility, and teaching and learning.
ACT
This report reviews the 2014 graduating class in the context of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)-related fields to determine student interest levels in specific STEM fields and, more importantly, readiness in math and science of those interested in STEM careers. The percentage of students interested in STEM has increased slightly over the past five years. The biggest increases were in the Engineering and Technology area, with engineering majors driving most of the growth—especially mechanical engineering. However, the number of graduates who are interested in teaching math or science is low compared to the likely future demand for such teachers.
Policy Digest
Will return in the Feb 1 issue.
Events
Shiri Breznitz -The Fountain of Knowledge: The Role of Universities in Economic Development 
Toronto, Munk School for Global Affairs, 19 January, 2015
Today, universities around the world find themselves going beyond the traditional roles of research and teaching to drive the development of local economies through collaborations with industry. At a time when regions with universities are seeking best practices among their peers, Shiri M. Breznitz argues against the notion that one university’s successful technology transfer model can be easily transported to another. Rather, the impact that a university can have on its local economy must be understood in terms of its idiosyncratic internal mechanisms, as well as the state and regional markets within which it operates. To illustrate her argument, Breznitz undertakes a comparative analysis of two universities, Yale and Cambridge, and the different outcomes of their attempts at technology commercialization in biotech. By contrasting these two universities—their unique policies, organizational structure, institutional culture, and location within distinct national polities—she makes a powerful case for the idea that technology transfer is dependent on highly variable historical and environmental factors. Breznitz highlights key features to weigh and engage in developing future university and economic development policies that are tailor-made for their contexts.
Aalborg, Denmark, 21-23 January, 2015
The conference is open for all PhD students working within the broad field of economics and management of innovation, entrepreneurship and organizations. We invite papers aiming at enhancing our understanding of the dynamics of technological, structural and institutional change at the level of firms, industries, regions and nations. DRUID is the node for an open international network – new partners are most welcome. We encourage all PhD students to submit their research to the conference. Do not hesitate to apply even if you have not been in contact with DRUID previously.
2nd Doctoral Workshop in Econiomics of Innovation, Complexity and Knowledge
Turin, Italy, 29-30 January, 2015
The aim of the workshop is to bring together PhD students from all over the world working in the broad field of Economics of Innovation and Complexity. The workshop will provide participants with a great opporunity to network with peers researching on similar topics and to receive feedback from both junior and senior scholars. We invite PhD students in their 2nd and 3rd years to submit their extended abstracts.
CFP: Challenges for the New Cohesion Policy in 2014-2020: An Academic and Policy Debate
Riga, Latvia, 4-6 February, 2015
In 2013, the budgetary and regulatory reform of Cohesion policy for 2014-20 was finally concluded following the most extensive process of reflection, consultation and analysis in the history of the policy. The cornerstones of the reformed policy are a more strategic use of the renamed European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF), concentration of spending on the objectives of Europe 2020, improved performance and achievement of results, better governance, and more attention to urban and local development. However, as the recently published Sixth Cohesion Report makes clear, the new ESIF programmes face a difficult task, with increasing regional and urban disparities and cuts in government spending. Against this background, the Second EU Cohesion Policy Conference organised by the RSA and DG Regio, together with the Latvian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, aims to take stock of the challenges and opportunities for Cohesion policy in 2014-20. It will bring together a limited number of participants from academia, the European institutions and Member State authorities to debate where Cohesion policy is going and how its contribution to growth and jobs can be maximized.
CFP: The Global City, Past and Present
St. Andrews, Scotland, 14-15 May, 2015
This first Call for Papers invites submissions from scholars of all humanities and social science disciplines working on the issue of “Space” in the early modern colonial city and its modern descendants. At the intersection of empires, cultures, and economies, urban spaces and structures were, and continue to be, shaped by the cities’ global connections. Through an exploration of all aspects of the urban built environment, the workshop will start a conversation between scholars working on the spatial characteristics of those cities that first rose to prominence in the early modern imperial world.
Atlanta Conference on Science and Innovation Policy
Atlanta, Georgia, 17-19 September, 2015
The Atlanta Conference on Science and Innovation Policy provides a showcase for the highest quality scholarship addressing the multidimensional challenges and interrelated characteristics of science and innovation policy and processes. The conference attracts over 300 researchers from more than 35 countries and includes a series of plenary talks; parallel paper sessions to discuss ongoing research; and a young researcher poster competition. Next year’s session will explore the research front addressing the broad range of issues central to the structure, function, performance and outcomes of the science and innovation enterprises.
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This newsletter is prepared by Jen Nelles.
Project manager is David A. Wolfe.