Time
January 18, 11.00: Scientific Methods and Development of University
Topic
Contradiction in terms or methods to madness? Outlook on the role of foresight in strategic development of universities
On one hand Universities and other public actors in the science system are confronted by tighter budgets, growing international competition, demographic challenges, new modes of knowledge production and an avalanche of permanent new research results, methods and topics. On the other hand, freedom of research of individual scientists, traditional academic management procedures and styles i.e. recruitment, attitudes of public and private sponsors and stakeholders etc. do not allow for any short-term reactions by university leadership for their strategy. Hence, using foresight tools on institutional level is one possible way out of the dilemma but has its own challenges within the university and its traditions. The lecture may offer some insights on these challenges, some results of foresight studies regarding the universities role in the future and some hints towards a “future robust” innovation strategy in universities.
About Prof. Dr. rer. pol. Carsten Dreher, Freie Universität Berlin, School of Business and Economics, Professorship for Innovation Management
Since 2009, Carsten Dreher, is at Freie Universität Berlin. He studied Industrial Engineering and Occupational Training at the Technical University of Karlsruhe. He started his career at the European Commission’s Directorate General Research as junior research fellow at the unit Forecasting and Assessment in Science and Technology (FAST). From 1989 to 2006 he worked at the Fraunhofer Institute for System and Innovation Research (ISI) in Karlsruhe analysing industrial innovation behaviour. After finishing his PhD in 1996 at TU Karlsruhe, being visiting scholar at MIT’s Industrial Performance Center, he was appointed 2006 Joint Professor for Innovation Research and Innovation Management at the University of Flensburg and at the Mads Claussen Institute for Product Innovation of the University of Southern Denmark. His research interests are analysing technology dynamics, using foresight instruments for developing longterm innovation strategies and mechanisms and impact of public research and innovation policies. From 2009 to 2012 Carsten Dreher served as director of the Center for Cluster Development within the Excellence Concept, being responsible for developing the Focus Areas for research at Freie Universität.