Since 2018, the Universidad de La Sabana has been promoting an initiative to become a third-generation university (3GU).
According to J.G. Wissema, professor emeritus and consultant at Delft University of Technology (Netherlands), a third generation university must adopt innovation based on the transfer of research results and entrepreneurship as part of its strategic objectives (Wissema, 2009). The adoption of this viewpoint to define the role of the university has become a strategic commitment promoted by the university leadership, which has given rise to several internal projects focused on redefining its development plans, developing certain capacities, in order to support this transformation. One such institutional project is supported by the I2LATAM project.
Thus, in order to become a third-generation university, the General Directorate of Research at the University of La Sabana is carrying out a series of analyses and evaluations, in consultation with internal (researchers, leaders and managers of R&D&I) and external actors, with the aim of proposing two to three macro-projects that will align the University's research capacity towards the resolution of problems identified at local, national and international level. Locally, the University's commitment is to promote collaboration with actors in the Sabana Centro region, an initiative that began in 2012 to actively collaborate with the University's area of influence. Therefore, it is expected that a problem or mission-driven research will result in an increase in innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives.
As part of this exercise, the Erasmus+ I2LATAM project proposes a methodology to analyse institutional R&D&I capacities based on: the number of researchers by areas of action (critical mass), leverage of external resources, scientific production, lines of research, among other indicators. La Sabana will use this data in order to align institutional capacities to the main macro-projects defined by the University, through which problems can be addressed at local, national and international levels.
In this sense, I2LATAM will support the transformation of the University, strengthening its role within a local ecosystem and focusing on regional needs and opportunities, while enhancing its internationalisation strategy.
References:
Wissema, J. G. (2009). Towards the third-generation university: Managing the university in transition. Edward Elgar Publishing.
The Erasmus+ I2LATAM project proposes a methodology to analyse institutional R&D&I capacities based on: the number of researchers by areas of action (critical mass), leverage of external resources, scientific production, lines of research, among other indicators.
