Trinité-et-Tobago

Driving national competitiveness through innovation – Exploring the role of universities in innovation systems in Canada and Trinidad and Tobago

Le sommaire ci-dessous est présenté dans la langue de la demande soumis par les demandeurs du concours SCR-CALA.

National competitiveness, in terms of productivity and growth, is a pressing concern for the governments of both developed and developing countries, as competitiveness is viewed as a determinant of economic well-being and success. This focus on competitiveness has led to increased emphasis on innovation, a construct inextricably linked to productivity. As such, with the goal of improving competitiveness, a number of countries are constructing innovation policies which specify the role of government, industry and university in fostering favorable environments for innovation. Our understanding of role of universities in innovation systems, however, remains somewhat fuzzy, but is acknowledged to extend beyond the traditional boundaries of teaching and research.

The main aim of this project is therefore to investigate the role of universities in national innovation systems by examining the activities involved in creating, disseminating and commercializing knowledge. Unlike previous studies which examine the role of universities in innovation systems as an aggregate, this research project will investigate how individual programmes contribute to innovation systems.

Through the use of case study, the research will compare these knowledge related activities in Canada, an innovation-driven economy; and Trinidad and Tobago, an efficiency driven economy, by examining specific graduate Entrepreneurship programmes at the University of Waterloo and at the University of Trinidad and Tobago. Key to this research collaboration is the input of all three actors in the national innovation systems of both Canada and Trinidad and Tobago. The results of the research would be an empirical contribution which can be used by decision makers at both the university and governmental levels to improve the efficacy of universities in contributing directly to competitiveness through innovation and to improve the input mechanisms involved in the formulation of policy to drive national competitiveness.