The impact of universities on the innovative development of the region (on the example of the Novgorod region)

Innovative development is currently being used as an effective means of overcoming the crisis in the regions. World experience shows, that an important role in innovation development of the region occupies University as a generator of innovations. The article presents the results of applied research, which was held in Veliky Novgorod. Were studied the events, trends and problems of interaction of Novgorod state University Yaroslav-the-Wise (NovSU) with the local community. On the basis of the system analysis and interdisciplinary methodology (content-analysis, case-study, SWOT-analysis, expert poll) there were analyzed the characteristics and trends of influence of activity of the NovSU on the opportunities and prospects of innovative development of the Novgorod region. In General, on an example of the Russian region had been received confirmation of the fact that the universities and the local community is not enough interact with each other. Confirmed and the poor use of the scientific potential of universities in regional industries, and lack of sustainable institutional practices of interaction of innovative potential of the higher school with the local community. In the formation of the innovative environment of the region is crucial position of regional authorities. As the survey shows, the regional authorities are implementing a number of measures on transition to the intensive type of development of economy. The regional government gives preference to high-tech industries, carries out effective investment policies and поддреживает the development of small business. However, in the region there is a need for integrated and comprehensive support in the region of innovative projects, innovative environment, innovative enterprises. The author stresses that in the region are slowly developing industrial clusters, in spite of the fact, that the cluster is the most optimal form for innovative development of any scope of activity. In the NovSU there are institutions and the conditions for innovations (centers for support and maintenance of the innovation, Technopark), soon to be completed the construction of a business-incubator, which will help the development of innovations. The University actively influences the formation of innovative enterprises, among which a special role has branch IT-technologies, carries out scientific-research work for the enterprises of city and region, carries out expert activities. But in the local community University is considered, first of all, in the form of a structure of higher professional education. The author noted the negative impact of the lack of research funding from the state, as well as the existing gap between research and practice. The article also analyzes the problems, which inhibits the innovative development of the Novgorod region. Among them the most important is the problem of inconsistency of actions of the power, science, business in respect of the innovative development of the region.

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