PUBLICATIONS
Forum in Birmingham reunites global leaders to discuss place-based innovation
Published on October 4, 2024
Universities around the world have played an increasingly strong role in driving socio-economic transformation and advancing place-based innovation within their cities and regions.
On November 8, the GFCC and its members, Aston University and HEDx, host The Leadership Dialogue on Universities 4.0 and Their Role in Driving Place-based Innovation and Socio-economic Transformation to delve deep into this global trend.
The forum, in collaboration with the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI), will explore emerging business models for universities, partnerships with public and private sectors, and new opportunities arising from these ongoing transformations.
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Leaders working in university, government, industry, and local communities will showcase prime examples of place-based innovation worldwide, share strategies to facilitate innovation for inclusive-growth, and comment on cutting-edge solutions that can help build future practices. Insights and findings from the discussions will shape the URLF's agenda in the coming months.
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Professor Aleks Subic, Vice-Chancellor and CEO of Aston University, and Deborah L. Wince-Smith, President of GFCC, will moderate and co-chair the discussions that will be held at Aston University, in Birmingham, United Kingdom.​
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"Leaders worldwide have turned to the West Midlands to learn from Aston University's work to accelerate the transformation of the region", states GFCC President Deborah L. Wince-Smith. "Building upon Birmingham's legacy as a founder of the industrial revolution, the university has been instrumental in facilitating place-making innovation, connecting various stakeholders and facilitating job creation and local development. Our community is eager to learn about their model and its potential to be replicated elsewhere," she completes.
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Under the leadership of Prof. Subic, Aston University is spearheading a multibillion-dollar development project designed to transform Birmingham over the next decade. The institution is collaborating with private sector and government entities on this initiative, which is set to create over 10,000 high-value jobs and address several socio-economic challenges, including healthcare accessibility, sustainable development, digital inclusion, and skills enhancement.
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“Universities serve as powerful catalysts for place-based innovation by integrating knowledge creation, skills development, community engagement, and diversity", says Prof. Subic. "In our event, we will explore models like the one employed at Birmingham Innovation Quarter, which harness the potential of universities to drive socio-economic transformation in their cities and regions, using the triple-helix model of innovation.”
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Additionally, Prof. Martin Betts, founder and CEO of HEDx, provides important insights on trends impacting the higher education sector, such as the growing applications of Artificial Intelligence, and how universities can capitalize on them to innovate.
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"Global universities face a perfect storm of financial, reputational and technological challenges to established business models. Many universities see this as a burning platform for change. Some see it as a platform for burning ambition to redefine purpose and strategy. Digital transformation can be a delivery vehicle for omnichannel learning services and a subject matter for place-based innovation. This event will shine a light on global examples of both so they can be seen by all", states Prof. Martin Betts.
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For more information, contact erodriguez@thegfcc.org.