Intelligence for local development : which knowledge is relevant?

Recent studies have shown that universities and similar public sector research institutions differ in their relationships with user organisations both in relation to the type of new knowledge concerned in the transfer and to the mechanisms of such transfer. Both relationships and knowledge transfer are critically affected by the level of sophistication of the receiving companies. It now seems that universities generating leading edge research have a very broad ‘footprint’ in terms of the organizations interested in receiving the knowledge generated. This means that sophisticated companies located very far away in geographical terms may well be the most interested in ‘breakthrough’ research in basic sciences whereas companies located closer to the source of knowledge are unable to see value. This is because, for example, breakthrough research information can be readily absorbed by the high level R&D personnel working in the science-intensive firms, even though they are further away spatially and/or by the product development teams in that segment of industry which may be located in many places. In other words, personnel in some firms may be ‘symbolically closer’ to the knowledge generators than others located geographically nearby. In this sense, the creation of a ‘knowledge hub’ has many dimensions which mean that spatial proximity to the sources of new knowledge does not automatically encourage firms to take advantage of what is on offer. Thus, the knowledge generated by universities has a critical function on the availability of local and international knowledge to the city and region where they are located. This paper draws on a recent study conducted under a partnership between the University of Western Sydney and the Office of Western Sydney to analyse the intellectual dynamics of UWS in knowledge-generation, transmission and transfer activities into the Western Sydney region. The question that lies behind the study is how universities can best contribute to the intellectual vitality of the region where they are located. The paper will discuss the role of Universities as vital components of urban networks and as intellectual assets for local development. Policy suggestions will be discussed