Bìznes Inform (Dec 2019)
The Role of Education in the National Innovation System
Abstract
In the modern era, the growth, development and competitiveness of national economies and, ultimately, the well-being of nations, depend crucially on the scales, paces and impacts of innovations. Therefore, the intensification of innovative processes, which has reached the national level and was manifested in the creation of national innovation systems (NIS), has become crucial. Nowadays, education is considered to be one of the most important components of the NIS. Understanding the role of education for the NIS enables the development and management of this sector in the context of improving the efficiency of the entire system and other elements. The role of education is defined not only in terms of training specialists, but also from the perspective of the structure of the NIS and the special functions of the education sector. The article examines several models that emphasize the importance and role of education: «Triple Spiral», «Third Mission», «Smart Specialization», and «Knowledge Triangle». The positions of education (universities) in the NIS subsystems are characterized. The presence of education in various functional blocks as well as in basic processes is displayed. The role of education in the NIS is also disclosed in the allocation of functions. Attention is drawn to the overall economic importance of the education sector, as well as to several groups of functions in the following spheres: specialists training; generating new knowledge; organizing an innovation process; supporting innovation; commercialization of innovation; ensuring a relationship with the environment. The framework of NIS is integrating science, education and innovation, which involves harmonious interaction, development and balance. The integration of science, education and innovation requires a qualitatively new innovation infrastructure, new forms of organization of scientific, educational and innovation activities. In general, education is important in the intensification of innovative processes, plays an important role in the formation of the NIS, its structural perfection and improvement of efficiency.
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