Research and the Knowledge Age

The paper examines the pressures on universities to change their priorities and cultures as a result of the recognition by governments that they are at the heart of their efforts to build competitive knowledge economies. Consideration of the implications for universities, and world class research groups within them, of: globalisation and knowledge based competition; devolution of economic development powers from nation states to regions and cities; interactive learning and knowledge transfer clusters; high tech spin-offs and start-ups and commercialisation of intellectual property; leads into a discussion of the changing nature of knowledge transfer and the importance of dynamic collaboration between universities and corporate enterprises.