Cities, Innovation and the Knowledge Economy
‘Cities, Innovation and the Knowledge Economy’ is the third in SURF’s series of policy panel debates which are being organised in conjunction with the Smart City Futures initiative. Cites must develop the capacity for knowledge exchange, not transfer, if they are to succeed in a global knowledge economy. International excellence and local relevance are needed. The panel debate will consider how these challenges are to be addressed.
UK policy-makers, practitioners, researchers and business leaders will come together to debate how knowledge exchange can be more effectively fostered between the producers and users of research. We will seek to develop a comparative understanding of urban attempts to re-shape sustainable, knowledge-based futures through harnessing different knowledges: what is happening, why and where?
This critical debate will be informed by a panel of two international experts who have experience in the issues and challenges in harnessing knowledge: Dr Cathy Garner, Chief Executive Officer, Manchester: Knowledge Capital and Professor Tim May, Director, SURF.
Following short presentations by each panel member, chaired by Beth Perry from SURF, we will invite audience participation and debate on the key issues and ways forward.
The debate will also be attended by members of the European Urban Knowledge Arena, which includes 70 invited researchers and policy officials from 21 countries across Europe.
Please note that participation is by application only. The form can be downloaded here:
The deadline for applications is Friday 29th May 2009. Successful participants will be informed via email on Wednesday 3rd June.
This panel debate is informed by several elements of our research portfolio. This includes: the Greater Manchester Urban Knowledge Arena which developed a forward looking research agenda, incorporating policy priorities, on the role of universities in the Greater Manchester city-region; work on Science Cities which developed a productive dialogue between the Science Cities and Government departments in terms of more effective national, regional and city-regional policies; and research on Business and the Knowledge Based Region which developed a knowledge exchange strategy with business, for ongoing research around the development of comparative regional and local science policies.