Government Support for Universities: Regional Coverage

The aim of the study is to assess the degree of involvement of various Russian regions in the implementation of governmental projects for university support, which is essential for the balanced development of national higher education system and the spatial development of the country as a whole. The task of effectively using the research and educational potential of universities for the development of particular regions is currently being under realization in many countries, including Russia, which determines the relevance of this study. The analysis is based on the quadrant distribution of national regions in the Federal State Statistics Service Rankings 2018 on regional GDP, the Regional Innovation Development Rankings 2018–2019, issued by the Higher School of Economics. We compared universities located in regions with similar characteristics of their economic development, and assessed the impact of 11 major governmental projects for university support, which have been implemented or continue since 2006. The study is targeted at tracking correlations between the regional distribution of universities supported by these projects, the amounts of funding, and the scales of innovation and economic development of the regions. We conclude that at present, in comparison with previous periods, a more balanced approach is being taken to the selection of universities-participants of such government projects from the point of view of their location in regions with different characteristics. At the same time, the distribution of financial support points to the existing serious gaps between the leading and other universities.

1. Vertakova, Yu.V., Plotnikov, V.А. (2017). Transformation of the Role of Universities in Socio-Economic Development. Ekonomika i upravlenie = Economics and Management. No. 6, pp. 55-62. Available at: https://emjume.elpub.ru/jour/article/view/571 (accessed 14.05.2022). (In Russ., abstract in Eng.).

2. Carnoy, M., Prashant L., Dobryakova M., et al. (2013). University Expansion in a Changing Global Economy: Triumph of the BRICs? Stanford : Stanford University, 404 p. ISBN: 9780804786010

3. Godin, B., Gingras, Y. (2000). The Place of Universities in the System of Knowledge Production. Research Policy. Vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 273-278, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0048-7333(99)00065-7

4. Burdakova, G.I., Byankin, A.S., Vakhrusheva, V.О. (2017). The Development of Technological Entrepreneurship in the Region on the Basis of the Triple Helix Model. Nauchno-tekhnologicheskie vedomosti SPbGPU. Ekonomicheskie nauki = St. Petersburg State Polytechnical University Journal. Economics. Vol. 10, no. 6, pp. 172-181, doi: 10.18721/JE.10616 (In Russ., abstract in Eng.).

5. Chelnokova, O.Y., Firsova, A.A. (2014). Interaction of the University, the Business and the State as a Factor of the Regional Development in the National Innovation System. Izvestiya Saratovskogo Universiteta. Novaya Seriya. Seriya: Ekonomika. Upravlenie. Pravo = Izvestiya of Saratov University. Economics. Management. Law. Vol. 14, no. 1-1, pp. 26-31. Available at: https://www.elibrary.ru/contents.asp?id=33987442 (accessed 14.05.2022). (In Russ., abstract in Eng.).

6. Leydesdorff, L., Etzkowitz, H. (1996). Emergence of a Triple Helix of University–Industry– Government Relations. Science and Public Policy. Vol. 23, no. 5, pp. 279-286, doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/spp/23.5.279

7. Carayannis, E., Grigoroudis, E. (2016). Quadruple Innovation Helix and Smart Specialization: Knowledge Production and National Competitiveness. Forsait = Foresight and STI Governance. Vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 31-42, doi: https://doi.org/10.17323/1995-459x.2016.1.31.42

8. Carayannis, E.G., Campbell, D.F.J. (2010). Triple Helix, Quadruple Helix and Quintuple Helix and How Do Knowledge, Innovation and the Environment Relate to Each Other? A Proposed Framework for a Trans-Disciplinary Analysis of Sustainable Development and Social Ecology. International Journal of Social Ecology and Sustainable Development. Vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 41-69, doi: 10.4018/jsesd.2010010105

9. Schütz, F., Heidingsfelder, M.L., Schraudner, M. (2019). Co-Shaping the Future in Quadruple Helix Innovation Systems: Uncovering Public Preferences Toward Participatory Research and Innovation. She Ji: The Journal of Design, Economics, and Innovation. Vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 128-146, doi: 10.1016/j.sheji.2019.04.002

10. Steenkamp, R.J. (2019). The Quadruple Helix Model of Innovation for Industry 4.0. Acta Commercii. Vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 1-10, doi: 10.4102/ac.v19i1.820

11. Clark, B.R. (2011). The Higher Education System: Academic Organization in Cross-National Perspective. Moscow : HSE, 41 p. ISBN: 978-5-7598-0833-6 (In Russ.).

12. Kuzminov, J., Semenov, D., Froumin, I. (2013). University Network Structure: From the Soviet to the Russian “Master Plan”. Voprosy obrazovaniya = Educational Studies Moscow. No. 4, pp. 8-69, doi: 10.17323/1814-9545-2013-4-8-69 (In Russ., abstract in Eng.).

13. Abankina, I., Aleskerov, F., Belousova, V., et al. (2013). A Typology and Analysis of Russian Universities’ Performance in Education and Research. Forsait = Foresight and STI Governance. Vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 48-63, doi: 10.17323/1995-459X.2013.3.48.63 (In Russ., abstract in Eng.).

14. Knyazev, E.A., Drantusova, N.V. (2013). Institutional Dynamics in Russian Higher Education: Machinery and Trajectory. Universitetskoe upravlenie: praktika i analiz = University Management: Practice and Analysis. No. 1 (83), pp. 6-17. Available at: https://www.umj.ru/jour/article/view/425 (accessed 14.05.2022). (In Russ., abstract in Eng.).

15. Sokolov, M. (2017). The Myth of University Strategy. Market Niches and Organizational Careers of Russian Universities. Voprosy obrazovaniya = Educational Studies Moscow. No. 2, pp. 36-73, doi: 10.17323/1814-9545-2017-2-36-73 (In Russ., abstract in Eng.).

16. Belyakov, S.А., Krasnova, G. (2016). Evaluating the Contribution of Education to Socio-Economic Development of the Region: International Trends and the Russian Experience. Universitetskoe upravlenie: praktika i analiz = University Management: Practice and Analysis. No. 3, pp. 8-15, doi: https://doi.org/10.15826/umj.2016.103.011 (In Russ., abstract in Eng.).

17. Kranzeeva, E. А. (2017). New Models of Universities: Contribution to Regional Development. Universitetskoe upravlenie: praktika i analiz = University Management: Practice and Analysis. Vol. 21, no. 5, pp. 64-73, doi: 10.15826/umpa.2017.05.062 (In Russ., abstract in Eng.).

18. Leshukov, O.V., Lisyutkin, M.A. (2015). Governance of the Regional Higher Education Systems in Russia: Possible Approaches. Universitetskoe upravlenie: praktika i analiz = University Management: Practice and Analysis. No. 6 (100), pp. 29-40. Available at: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=25908065 (accessed 14.05.2022). (In Russ., abstract in Eng.).

19. Mikhailova, E.I., Savinov, V.M. (2016). University as an Institute for Regional Development. Vysshee obrazovanie v Rossii = Higher Education in Russia. No. 10, pp. 37-47. Available at: https://www.elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=27170215 (accessed 14.05.2022). (In Russ., abstract in Eng.).

20. Benneworth, P., Charles, D. (2005). University Spin-Off Policies and Economic Development in Less Successful Regions: Learning from Two Decades of Policy Practice. European Planning Studies. Vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 537-557, doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/09654310500107175

21. Huggins, R., Johnston, A. (2009). The Economic and Innovation Contribution of Universities: A Regional Perspective. Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy. Vol. 27, no. 6, pp. 1088-1106, doi: 10.1068/c08125b

22. Uyarra, E. (2010). Conceptualizing the Regional Roles of Universities, Implications and Contradictions. European Planning Studies. Vol. 18, no. 8, pp. 1227-1246, doi: 10.1080/09654311003791275

23. Abashkin, V., Abdrakhmanova, G., Bredikhin, S., Gokhberg, L. (Ed.), et al. (2021). Reiting innovatsionnogo razvitiya sub’ektov Rossiiskoi Federatsii. Vyp. 7 = Russian Regional Innovation Scoreboard. Issue 7. National Research University Higher School of Economics. Moscow : HSE University Publ., 274 p. Available at: https://www.hse.ru/mirror/pubs/share/492403134.pdf (accessed 14.05.2022). (In Russ., abstract in Eng.).