The participation of Universities in the promotion of territorial development is one of the main paradigms of innovation of university work in the last twenty years (Moscati, Vaira 2008; Charle, Souliè 2008). But, if the design of the innovation model appears to be defined from the beginning, its implementation mechanisms and results appear territorially heterogeneous and, in many cases, contribute to reproducing the well-known territorial inequalities (Regini, Trigilia 2019). The institutional learning of the innovation in which universities are protagonists could be reconstructed through the contributions offered by the rich literature on local development and, more recently, by innovation studies (Cersosimo, Wolleb 2001; Trigilia 2007). But, it could also be reconstructed by trying to reverse the method of analysis, trying to understand how the actors involved in the process of change perceive innovation and observing what happens in informal moments such as those in which the results of research are returned to the territory. This contribution aims to capture the dynamics of institutional innovation in university work during an informal moment of its manifestation: an online webinar which presented the results of the EDGE project, a European project on employment inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in which Universities, social cooperatives, and bodies specialised in the training of people with disabilities from different European countries participated. The contribution aims to bring to light a bottom-up innovation path, identifying the participants of the webinar and the communicative situation that allows the different participants to mutually recognize their institutional roles and to experience an active involvement in the innovation process. This study is divided into two sections. In the first, the recurring elements in the contributions of the various participants in the webinar and the inter-individual logic that supported the various contributions are highlighted. At this stage particular emphasis will be given to the identification and collective communication of common needs. A second moment is instead dedicated to the institutional pre-conditions and to the reciprocal interinstitutional perceptions that structured the webinar. The EDGE project presentation is only the final moment of a research project. However, its interinstitutional and intersubjective analysis could highlight the forms of interinstitutional cooperation most suitable for intercepting territorial needs and the possible responses that Universities can contribute to them.
When University Meets the Needs of The Territory: The case of the Edge Project Presentation
Vinci F.
2021-01-01
Abstract
The participation of Universities in the promotion of territorial development is one of the main paradigms of innovation of university work in the last twenty years (Moscati, Vaira 2008; Charle, Souliè 2008). But, if the design of the innovation model appears to be defined from the beginning, its implementation mechanisms and results appear territorially heterogeneous and, in many cases, contribute to reproducing the well-known territorial inequalities (Regini, Trigilia 2019). The institutional learning of the innovation in which universities are protagonists could be reconstructed through the contributions offered by the rich literature on local development and, more recently, by innovation studies (Cersosimo, Wolleb 2001; Trigilia 2007). But, it could also be reconstructed by trying to reverse the method of analysis, trying to understand how the actors involved in the process of change perceive innovation and observing what happens in informal moments such as those in which the results of research are returned to the territory. This contribution aims to capture the dynamics of institutional innovation in university work during an informal moment of its manifestation: an online webinar which presented the results of the EDGE project, a European project on employment inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in which Universities, social cooperatives, and bodies specialised in the training of people with disabilities from different European countries participated. The contribution aims to bring to light a bottom-up innovation path, identifying the participants of the webinar and the communicative situation that allows the different participants to mutually recognize their institutional roles and to experience an active involvement in the innovation process. This study is divided into two sections. In the first, the recurring elements in the contributions of the various participants in the webinar and the inter-individual logic that supported the various contributions are highlighted. At this stage particular emphasis will be given to the identification and collective communication of common needs. A second moment is instead dedicated to the institutional pre-conditions and to the reciprocal interinstitutional perceptions that structured the webinar. The EDGE project presentation is only the final moment of a research project. However, its interinstitutional and intersubjective analysis could highlight the forms of interinstitutional cooperation most suitable for intercepting territorial needs and the possible responses that Universities can contribute to them.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
