Innovation modes and knowledge relations Peter Nielsen Aalborg University

The regional perspective Recovery process from financial crises revealed differences in regional growth potentials. Northern Jutland is among the lower performers in regional productivity growth. Learning, new knowledge and innovation in enterprises can contribute to productivity growth. Which channels of knowledge relate Aalborg University to regional enterprises and what are their potentials?

Knowledge sources, innovation modes and collaboration bases Two knowledge sources are important for relations of learning and innovation between university and enterprises. Research based, codified and verified knowledge, called STI. Experience, relational and problem based knowledge, called DUI. Relations of learning and innovation typology. Research on STI & DUI modes show positive effects on innovation. Combined STI and DUI modes & partner relations deliver synergy on innovation.   STI – innovation mode DUI – innovation mode University (AAU) – based AAU research projects transfer knowledge to enterprise(s). AAU educational approach transfers ideas and competence to enterprise(s). Enterprise – based Enterprise research & development project relates to AAU researcher(s). Enterprise development project linked to AAU PBL projects.

University based STI relations High proportion of research cooperation contracts, relative to budget and compared to other Danish universities. Does STI research collaboration result in innovation? A challenge to broaden research collaboration with enterprises. Mutual trust is an important driver. AAU graduates may establish knowledge bridges important for collaboration and regional growth: New research shows that SME’s hiring first graduate generate 4.5 jobs for skilled and unskilled. Growth in value added is 38 % higher than in enterprises without graduates and the chances of survival is higher.   2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Reported inventions 47 52 69 81 90 Sold or licensed inventions 23 27 40 50 77 Inventions made within collaboration contracts - 41 60 73 Patent applications 13 6 7 12 Spin-out companies 1 5 2

University based DUI relations PBL approach is practiced in Master, Candidate and Bachelor programs in order to build competences in analyzing enterprise problems and solutions. Incubating entrepreneurs has increasing attention. AAU is slightly below the national average of university graduate start-ups. Between 2001 – 2008, 254 firms were started by AAU graduates. 8 % were export oriented. In 2010 46 % of the firms had survived. The supply of graduates at the labor market has contributed to a necessary industrial transformation and development of regional clusters.

Enterprise based STI relations 45 % of Danish enterprises were product or service innovative in 2010 – 2012. 8 % of these collaborate with universities and 2.6 % collaborated with AAU. Large firms were over-represented and small firms under-represented compared to the national distribution. The result of the collaboration is frequently product- or service innovation new to the enterprise or to its market – not new to the world market. AAU has established a facilitator – AAU innovation – with five units developing and broadening collaboration with enterprises.

Enterprise based DUI relations Candidate and bachelor dissertations written in collaboration with enterprises. A new concept called ‘solution camp’ help enterprises develop new solutions. Each ‘Solution camp’ generate student projects. Enterprises involved in ‘knowledge dissemination agreement’ have evaluated impacts of collaboration. Year Number of C. & B. thesis Thesis with collaboration Collaboration rate 2013 2623 976 37,2 2014 3154 1359 43,1 2015 2455 1134 46,2 2016 2698 1434 53,2   High extend Some extend Small extend Not at all Don’t know Opened for new insights and possibilities 15,9 52,3 9,1 6,8 Delivered changes in business practices 3,2 32,3 41,9 19,4 Improved the business foundation 0,0 38,7 6,5 12,9 Contributed to growth in the enterprise 4,8 21,4 26,2 General satisfaction with progress of coll. 39,1 10,9 4,3 Improved future collaboration with AAU 59,5 7,1

Strengths and weaknesses in the knowledge relations The level of STI collaboration calls for improvements in relation to smaller firms and among the larger firms, especially related to innovations new to the world market. There is a need to build cognitive clutches between university researchers and enterprise developers. New incentives must be developed. Mutual trust must be developed stepwise from DUI and STI angles. Student contacts and graduate training are among the trust drivers related to the PBL approach. The four windows in the learning and innovation typology must be clutched to enhance regional knowledge capital.