Understanding the governance of the engaged and entrepreneurial university in the twenty-first century: Towards a new research and policy agenda

This paper develops insight into the way in which twenty-first century universities worldwide have performed in the changing world and challenges that they have undergone, in order to address the ever-changing demands of the global knowledge-based economy within the innovative ecosystem. It firstly reviews current theory and practice on entrepreneurial universities. It also analyses the current dispersion of science outside academia, via laws, policies and processes of marketization more broadly. It addresses governance issues which are relevant for both researchers and policy makers, and lastly, sketches the contours of a new research and policy agenda for entrepreneurial universities via reformulating their “third task”. The issues and questions on this agenda provide focal points in discussions and policy debates on the current state and governance of the ‘entrepreneurial’ university. They reflect the importance of (1) rethinking the relation between publicly funded universities cooperating with private parties, (2) the kind of professionals delivered to society by universities, (3) the role of universities as entrepreneurs in innovation ecosystems, (4) the relation between societal relevance and commercial relevance of research, (5) implications of increased dispersion of research activities outside academia, and (6) the independence of academics cooperating with private partners in research projects.