BTECH research seminar

Verena Karlsdóttir (verena@unak.is) is an adjunct lecturer at the Business Department of the University of Akureyri in Iceland and a sessional teacher at the University of Iceland. She holds a PhD in Business Administration from the University of Iceland. Her teaching focus is on methodology, management, and innovation. Her research primarily contributes to innovation within universities, as well as strategies and organization of higher education institutions. Verena is part of the committee for the annually conference Interdisciplinary European Conference on Entrepreneurship Research (IECER) which will take place at the Management Center Innsbruck 18-20 September this year. 

Abstract
The presentation will focus on a comprehensive study of the Third Mission (TM) of universities in Iceland, particularly within the constraints of a smaller economy. TM is understood as the socio-economic engagement of universities, following their primary and secondary missions of teaching and research. This study explores the TM activities, which include entrepreneurial endeavours, and analyses factors affecting their development. The research methodology employed semi-structured interviews, surveys, and an extensive literature review to understand the collaboration patterns between universities, industries, and organisations, as well as the socio-economic involvement of university faculty. Despite a general optimism about participating in TM activities, the findings highlight significant limitations due to factors such as time constraints, lack of motivation, insufficient networking, and funding shortages. Notably, TM activities like direct exploitation of research through contract research or commercialisation are particularly scant among Icelandic academics. The findings revealed little variation among universities in these challenges, though differences were evident across disciplines, publication performance, work experience, and personality traits such as openness. Based on these insights, the study suggests several strategies for enhancing TM activities to strengthen the universities’ long-term societal impact. Recommendations include the implementation of targeted assessment and incentive systems, revisions in recruitment policies to attract a diverse faculty, the formation of interdisciplinary networks, and better integration of TM with the existing missions of research and teaching. Additionally, the importance of increasing the visibility and recognition of TM activities both within and outside university settings is emphasized.