Higher education institutions and innovation in the knowledge society

Higher education institutions are traditionally seen as producers of new knowledge, technology and quality graduates. Today they are also supposed to be platforms of co-created innovations and improvements in society. This is a challenge for all higher education institutions. The creation of technological, economical and social innovation requires new types of actions and collaboration from institutions of higher education as well as from their management, teachers, researchers and students. Co-creation of innovations is both the process and outcome. It requires action and application in context. Luckily higher education is rich with innovative actors from universities and universities of applied sciences acting in the global innovation ecosystem.

This book is an interesting and multifaceted report of higher education institutes and their actions of the field of innovation. Contributors come from three continents. Same themes and challenges are met on different levels everywhere. Management and enthusiastic developers find their solutions within their own context. The cases are source of benchmarking and inspiration for all who are interested in the new ways of combining education institutions and innovation.