At a time in history when global challenges are becoming more intractable and threatening, it makes sense to draw on the specialist expertise of our universities. Much of government interest in doing so has typically focused on the major research institutions with their records of new discovery and invention. However, there is extensive evidence that the greatest opportunities are at regional level. Despite globalisation, regions are becoming more and more important as sites of identity and policy intervention. Regions can take their futures into their own hands, and their local universities are a crucial resource of expertise to support these initiatives. However, there have been significant barriers to effective cooperation between universities and their regional authorities. This book provides an analysis of these circumstances and draws on an international research project to point academics, policy makers and practitioners in the right direction. It provides extensive evidence from this project to support its argument.

Introduction - Regions and universities in the post-2008 worldPart 1 Towards mode two knowledge production
1. Complexity and diversity - the 'global problematique'
2. Governance and the changing 'three sectors'
3. Two key partners: (1) The region
Part 2 PURE findings: leading policy issues
4. Two key partners : (2) Higher Education
5. Pascal and the PURE project
6. Social inclusion and active citizenship
7. The new ecological imperative - green skills and jobs
8. Culture and creativity
9. Entrepreneurship and SMEs: regions and innovation systems
10. The audit era and organisational learning - benchmarking and impact
Part 3 Learning and partnership processes, wider policy reflections
11. The PURE project and inter-regional learning
12. Regions, central government power and policy-making
13. Engaging horizontally - leading, partnering, learning
14. Wider reflections: engaging with the new imperative
Annex: Twelve policy implications, twenty-one questions and answers
Bibliography
Index