The Hidden Story: Mapping knowledge exchange partnerships for the Creative Economy

本研究的目的是开发一种新的方法来了解英格兰和威尔士创意经济中大学知识交流伙伴关系的程度，性质和影响。这将建立在早期大学联盟研究的基础上，例如创建创新区域（2016），确定大学通过以下方式发挥的关键领导和连接作用：长期的毕业生网络;与当地企业和公共部门机构的密切关系;它们与区域优势的一致性;它们作为KE活动中心的程度;以及它们对创意经济生态系统的贡献。它还将建立在AHRC的知识交流中心和布莱顿大学的分析。该试点采取联盟大学作为开发新的方法来讲述伙伴关系活动的“隐藏的故事”的测试案例，扩大访问权限，使我们能够将联合收割机强大的数据映射技术与定性分析相结合，以揭示潜在的因素和见解。 这项研究是在机构背景下进行的，因此需要考虑现有的框架、优先事项、投资战略、治理、组织结构、外部参与、劳动分工、奖励制度、资源、专业知识和文化学说。将KE业务置于更广泛的生态系统中--类似于许多地理学家围绕区域经济发展进行的创新研究--也将使我们不仅能够解决结果问题，还能够包括其他研究所遗漏的权力关系和决策过程。为此，该项目将进行差距分析，确定现有数据集的局限性，并将设法向各机构和决策者提出建议，以处理现有的制度和做法。虽然重点将是地方性的，探索大学作为其区域“支柱”的作用，但测绘工作还将审查具有国际发展潜力的现有联盟KE伙伴关系活动。

The purpose of this research is to develop a new methodology for understanding the extent, nature and impact of universities' knowledge exchange partnerships within England and Wales' Creative Economy. This will build on the work of earlier University Alliance research, such as Creating Innovative Regions (2016), identifying the crucial leadership and connecting roles universities play via: longstanding graduate networks; close relations with local businesses and public sector bodies; their alignment to regional strengths; the extent to which they act as hubs for KE activity; and their contribution to the Creative Economy ecosystem. It will also build on the analysis of the AHRC's Knowledge Exchange hubs and Brighton Fuse.The pilot takes Alliance universities as a test case for developing the new methodology to tell the 'hidden story' of partnership activities, with broadened access allowing us to combine robust data mapping techniques with qualitative analyses to reveal underlying factors and insights. The study takes place within an institutional context, and therefore needs to take into account existing frameworks, priorities, investment strategies, governance, organisational structures, external engagement, labour divisions, reward systems, resources, expertise, and cultural doctrines. Situating KE operations within the wider ecosystem - in a similar manner to the innovation studies around regional economic development attempted by many geographers - will also allow us to address not just outcomes, but include the power relations and decision-making processes missed by other studies.In doing this, the project will undertake a gap analysis identifying the limits of existing data sets, and will seek to make recommendations for institutions and policy makers accordingly that will address existing systems and practices. Although the focus will be local, exploring the role of universities as 'anchors' in their regions, the mapping exercise will also examine existing Alliance KE partnership activities with international development potential.