EUA Conference October 21, Developing Tools for the Strategic Management of University Research

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1 EUA Conference October 21, 2005 The Observatory of the European University Developing Tools for the Strategic Management of University Research Antoine Schoen Observatoire des sciences et des techniques Paris, France The Observatory of The European University 1

2 Presentation Content Overall aim and organisation of the OEU project First results : the OEU Strategic Matrix The critical mass requirements The Observatory of The European University 2

3 Overall objective for the PRIME OEU Project The overall objective for building an «Observatory of the European University» within PRIME Network of Excellence is to provide universities with tools - robust and flexible -adapted to the governance of research activities. The project will develop (with participating universities): a common framework for the characterisation of research activities undertaken in universities an experiment in gathering data under different institutional conditions The Observatory of The European University 3

4 Goal for the pilot phase a bottom up and collaborative project an international research team of 15 participants an international Panel of 15 Universities For the pilot phase, the OEU will demonstrate the possibility of producing, for some strategic issues, comparable information for characterizing universities research activities. Results to be disseminated on a larger scale within one year The Observatory of The European University 4

5 European Research Universities under Scrutiny Lisbon Strategy - The Liège Process EURAB EUA and the Strategic Management of Research Economics of Public Sector Research The Observatory of The European University 5

6 Tackling the Usual Core of Bulk Issues increasing margins of autonomy granted to the institutions changes in the funding schemes of university research need to reach excellence for European research versus US science challenge of attractiveness towards the best and brightest scientists and students The Observatory of The European University 6

7 First results : the two dimensions OEU Strategic Matrix (1) First dimension : Aspects of research management Funding Human Resources Academic Outcome Links between Universities and the Society Governance, decision Making Process in Universities The Observatory of The European University 7

8 Two dimensions OEU Strategic Matrix (2) Second dimension : Transversal issues Autonomy Strategic Capabilities Attractiveness Differenciation profile Territorial Embedding The Observatory of The European University 8

9 OEU Strategic Matrix Funding Human Resources Academic Outcomes Third Mission Governance Autonomy Strategic Capabilities Attractiveness Differentiation Profile Territorial Embedding The Observatory of The European University 9

10 Attractiveness x Funding Which kind of external sources does the university attract? Rationale for this issue : The basic idea is to supply data and indicators for going insight the capability of the universities to attract alternative or complementary funding, and the dependence of the institutions to one dominant type of funding. Rationale for the choice of the indicators : The focus is on the so-called market funds, i.e. funds linked to an external research commitment to the University. The basic assumption is to go insight the sources of funding for understanding the University range of formal linkages, moreover the industrial support to the academic activities. Indicators definition : Research and services contracts and grants by source of funding Sources of data and information : Universities final budgets or specific databases Comments : Contracts and grants can be articulated by source of funding but it is impossible to distinguish between research and service contracts. Apart from the cases of contracts and grants specifically devoted to support educational activities, all the other contracts and grants should be included. The Observatory of The European University 10

11 Academic Outcome Alternative Data Collection Schemes ISI DB Robot for scholars DB on the Internet Different emphasis on excellence Visibility Participation in scientific networks The Observatory of The European University 11

12 Eight Items for the Third Mission Dimension 1. Human resources 2. Ownership 3. Spin-offs 4. Contracts with industry 5. Contracts with public bodies 6. Participation into policy making 7. Involvement into social and cultural life 8. Public understanding of science The Observatory of The European University 12

13 Why is a critical mass such an important factor? Workforce 15 universities + 15 researchers : the third University Panel Session (Budapest, December 2005) should gather 40 people to assess and discuss the progress of specific tasks Diversity University specialisation profiles, availabilty of data Comparability Strategic thinking requires to take into account the characteristics of others : collaboration / competition The Observatory of The European University 13

14 More information OEU Strategic Matrix Report OEU Abstract : Universities and Research teams participating in the project Contacts : antoine.schoen@cec.eu.int jean.theves@obs-ost.fr The Observatory of The European University 14