Universities in regional development: knowledge transfer in a less favoured region

[摘要] English: This dissertation is an exploratory study aimed at increasing the theoretical and empiricalunderstanding of knowledge transfer from a university to its region. The study builds on theincreased emphasis on the role of universities as 'engines' for development. By using the Facultyof Agriculture at the University of the Free State, South Africa as a case study, this study aimedto provide a nuanced understand of the factors affecting knowledge transfer between academicsand stakeholders in a less favoured region.By means of the learning region concept and supported by other empirical studies, key indicatorswere identified from the literature and were developed for investigation. A qualitative approachwas followed to collect data from academics in the Faculty of Agriculture and from relevantstakeholders by means of semi-structured interviews and a detailed review of some key policydocuments. Institutional data, farmer databases and an academic survey provided quantitativedata with a view to facilitating the triangulation of data and the minimising of bias.Findings from the study revealed that the process of knowledge transfer from the UFS wasaffected by a combination of demand and supply factors. Some of the factors affecting supplyincluded the nature and the history of the UFS and the Faculty of Agriculture, adequate incentivestructures, the level of policy alignment and the embeddedness of knowledge outputs from thefaculty. Demand factors included the absorptive capacity of the region, the presence ofcoordinated demand systems and the nature of the networks that existed between stakeholders.This thesis argues that because of institutional lock-ins in the region - that have led to path dependency in the practice of agriculture - knowledge from the faculty has failed to realise itspotential in respect of contributing to regional development. While there is evidence of networksbetween farmers and academics, the network forms are 'distorted' and as yet strongly embeddedalong historical social and racial lines. There is also limited evidence of a properlyinstitutionalised notion of engagement with emerging farmers and thus knowledge transfercontinues to be path dependent.311The findings have implications for the UFS, for the faculty and for the region. While the UFS hasdefined itself as having both a national and an international agenda, the university will consciously have to define its regional role and then have to establish structures for activeengagement - not only broadly but also specifically with the agricultural sector. At the facultylevel, engagement needs to be reconceptualised, with engagement moving from a philanthropicethos to one that is part of the core function of teaching and learning. At the regional level, thereis a need for the establishment of new forums in which the UFS and the different stakeholdersmay engage. More importantly, these initiatives will have to be built on trust, social capital andnetworks for collective benefits to result.

[发布机构] University of the Free State