3. Partnerships and Sustainable Regional Innovation Systems: Special Roles for Universities?

The notion of Public–Private Partnerships (P3) is ambiguous. To date, however, there has been little emphasis on universities in this connection, and their roles (if any) are still somewhat unclear. The question we ask, therefore, is: What is or could be the role of universities in P3s? In this chapter, the first part is dedicated to the discussion and clarification of the concept of public–private partnerships. The role of universities if and when actively participating in ‘life outside the ivory tower’ is addressed. These partnerships are also discussed in a regional context. With the point of departure in innovation theory, we combine ‘sustainable development’ with the Regional System of Innovation approach to propose a new concept – Sustainable Regional Innovation System – in which regional initiatives such as Public–Private–(Academic) Partnerships play an integrated role, not least in the context of ‘learning and innovation for sustainable development’. Two cases are presented to underline the importance of what is signified as Public–Private–Academic Partnerships (PPAP); i.e., partnerships, where universities are given – or take on themselves – a specific role. In such partnerships, we argue, mediation is a major function of universities, including both the provision of new knowledge and the conciliation of opposing views, and universities thus act as catalytic and institutionalizing entities.