The Silk Road International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage hosted the SPHERE Seminar on May 13-14. Under the title 'Universities’ Third Mission: Partnering for Social and Economic Development'. This event was specifically designed for higher education reform experts members (HERE) and focused on collaborative efforts between universities and external partners to drive social and economic development.
During these 2 days in Samarkand we examined the contributions of universities in local society and general developmentand and theiradaptability to specific contexts. We also explored strategies to maximize the impact of universities through key issues such as innovation in teaching or digitization.
Experts from Europe and partner regions and countries have shared cases from their institutions and countries. Thus, we have been able to analyze the achievements and challenges presented by these cases, acquiring a global understanding of the changing role of universities in their ecosystems. Beyond these analyses, we also explored institutional and national strategies aimed at improving collaboration between academia, industry and civil society.
The challenges of the “third mission” of universities
The commitment of universities to society, known as the “third mission of universities”, has many dimensions that are constantly evolving. The environment in which these institutions operate is very changeable. The needs of the labor market, climate change or digitalization and artificial intelligence change... And with them, the role of universities.
Faced with this changing scenario, both universities and their members are looking for ways to offer solutions to these social and economic challenges. At the same time, they compete for relevance and to show their commitment to society. For this reason, many Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are establishing partnerships with companies and civil society.
To these pressures must be added others. That is, the trends of transdisciplinarity, continuous learning and open access to research and education. In addition, they are accountable to ministries, funding agencies and regulators. They all expect HEIs to demonstrate that their teaching, learning and research are beneficial and impactful.
Learning outcomes
Gain a comprehensive understanding of the evolving role of universities in their ecosystems, including their contributions to innovation, collaboration, socio-economic development and citizenship.
Explore institutional and national strategies for enhancing university-industry-civil society collaboration, to address real-life challenges related to sustainable development.
Acquire knowledge of innovative approaches and best practices in digital education and lifelong learning/upskilling (including micro-credentialing), and their implications for higher education institutions’ broader engagement with society.