Universities for a Modern Renaissance: entrepreneurial academics for the future – societal innovators co-creating with the communities

Many universities are becoming involved in addressing local, national and global challenges, and in helping solve complex issues of economic, cultural, sustainability and governance nature.  The presentation will show how universities can develop and share a unique process known as Academic Enterprise - a partnership between education, community and business in the local, national and international arena that seeks to identify opportunities for collaborative work and mutual knowledge exchange.

The approach developed by the author at the University of Salford, and developed through the PASCAL International Observatory’s ‘University for a Modern Renaissance’ programme, portrays how academics can be transformed into academic entrepreneurs, co-creating with the community and local business and engaging publicly through open innovation, rather than the more conventional higher education courses, programs and training. This form of university outreach leads to exciting, novel and dynamic forms of trans-disciplinary higher learning.

Professor James A. Powell is a Chartered European Engineer with specialisation in Design, Academic Enterprise, Human Communications and Team Building, Professor of Academic Enterprise at the University of Salford, UK Ambassador for Social Entrepreneurship for Higher Education (HEFCE), and Director of both UPBEAT & Smart City Futures projects. He was appointed Salford University’s first Pro Vice Chancellor (Enterprise and Regional Affairs) responsible for its “Reach Out” initiatives into industry, commerce, the service industry, the voluntary sector and society at large. He has published over 200 refereed academic papers, 13 books and has received over £34 million of financial support for his research, developments and information transfer studies.  He has an international network of over 30 design and ‘Action Learning’ researchers who are brought together to tackle major ‘real world’ projects.