“SUPPORTING THE CONTRIBUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS TO REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT” The OECD Programme on Institutional Management in Higher Education (IMHE) SELF–EVALUATION REPORT Canary Islands, Spain 1 This report has been authored by the following people: Regional Coordinator Néstor V. Torres Darias. Director de la Agencia Canaria de Evaluación de la Calidad y Acreditación Universitaria Working Group Coordinator José Luis Rivero Ceballos Professor. University of La Laguna Work team José Antonio Álvarez González Professor. University of La Laguna Juan Manuel Cabrera Sánchez Professor. University of La Laguna Carmen Delia Dávila Quintana Professor. University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Carlos Legna Verna Professor. University of La Laguna Beatriz González López Valcárcel Professor. University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Technical Assistance Ana Rosa Díaz Rodríguez. Agencia Canaria de Evaluación de la Calidad y Acreditación Universitaria 2 INDEX CHAPTER 1. THE REGION AND ITS SOCIAL AGENTS.............................................................7 1.1. Economic base, cultural activities, employment structure and business activity: regional characteristics...........................................................................................................................................7 1.2. Characteristics of institutional networks .........................................................................................12 1.3. Expectations of regional agents with respect to HEIs. HEI’s regional engagement objectives......13 1.4. New forms of governance and changes in government ..................................................................13 1.5. Main factors driving regional political decisions; funding mechanisms and opportunities for promoting economic, social and cultural development..........................................................................13 1.6. To what extent is there a tradition of coordination and coherence in regional government?......... 14 1.7. Participation of the region in the European RIS / RITTS programmes .........................................15 CHAPTER 2. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM ....................17 2.1. The Spanish higher education system .............................................................................................17 2.2. Overview of higher education in the Canary Islands ......................................................................19 2.2.1. University admission…………………………………………………………………..…21 2.2.2. Student profile……………………………………………………………………………21 2.2.3. Academic staff profile…………………………………………………………………....23 2.2.4. Educational performance…………………………………………………………………24 2.3. Regional dimension of higher education.........................................................................................25 2.3.1. Knowledge, opinions and expectations with respect to universities…………………….27 2.3.2. University Councils……………………………………………………………………....29 2.4. Regional higher education and governance.....................................................................................30 2.4.1. Education powers………………………………………………………………………...31 2.4.2. Quality assurance in the universities……………………………………………………..31 2.4.3. .University funding……………………………………………………………………….32 CHAPTER 3. CONTRIBUTION OF RESEARCH TO REGIONAL INNOVATION .................37 3.1. Introduction.....................................................................................................................................37 3.2. Responding to regional needs and demands....................................................................................39 3.2.1. The regional component of research policy at ULL and ULPGC………………………..39 3.2.2. Public administrations……………………………………………………………….…...40 3.3. Framework conditions for promoting research and innovation ......................................................48 3.4. Interfaces facilitating knowledge explotation and transfer .............................................................50 3.5. Conclusions.....................................................................................................................................54 CHAPTER 4. THE CONTRIBUTION OF TEACHING AND LEARNING TO LABOUR MARKET AND SKILLS.........................................................................................................................................62 4.1. Localising the learning process: the extent to which higher education is adapted to the particular characteristics of the Canary Islands......................................................................................................62 4.1.1.Does the region have strategic goals?.................................................................................62 4.1.2.Flexibility and adaptation of degree programs to regional needs .......................................63 4.1.3.Guiding and informing students, and student training in businesses ..................................63 4.2. Student recruitment and regional employment ...............................................................................67 4.2.1. How students are selected? ................................................................................................67 4.2.2. From higher education to employment ..............................................................................68 4.3. Promoting lifelong learning, continuing professional development and training ...........................69 4.3.1. A brief description of continuing education in the Canary Islands....................................69 4.3.2. The institutional coordination of continuing education .....................................................70 4.4. Changing forms of education ..........................................................................................................71 3 4.4.1.Flexible education...............................................................................................................71 4.4.2.Educational innovation .......................................................................................................72 4.5. Enhancing the regional learning system: Is there a regional system for higher education?............73 4.5.1.Is there a comprehensive idea of a regional university educational system?......................73 4.5.2.The analysis of regional supply and demand for educational "products" ...........................73 CHAPTER 5. CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIAL, CULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEVELOPMENT ................................................................................................................................75 5.1. Social Development .......................................................................................................................75 5.1.1.Health..................................................................................................................................75 5.1.2.Contribution to culture........................................................................................................75 5.1.3.Other activities in the two universities................................................................................76 5.2. Cultural and artistic development ...................................................................................................77 5.2.1.Main ULL cultural and artistic development activities.......................................................77 5.2.2.Main ULPGC cultural and artistic development activities .................................................78 5.3. Sports...............................................................................................................................................80 5.4. Sustainable Development................................................................................................................80 5.4.1.ULPGC activities................................................................................................................80 5.4.2.ULL activities ....................................................................................................................81 5.4.3.Other activities by the two Universities..............................................................................81 5.5. Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................82 CHAPTER 6. THE SEARCH FOR THE CAPABILITY FOR REGIONAL COOPERATION .84 6.1. Ways to promote the universities' involvement in the region .........................................................84 6.2. Promoting interregional dialogue and joint marketing....................................................................85 6.3. Measuring the regional impact of the Canary Island universities ...................................................85 6.4. Improving the institutional capability for regional involvement.....................................................85 6.5. The management of human and financial resources .......................................................................86 6.6. Creating a new organizational cultura.............................................................................................86 CHAPTER 7. CONCLUSIONS..........................................................................................................87 7.1. Lessons drawn from the self-evaluation process.............................................................................87 7.1.1.Teaching..............................................................................................................................88