GUIDING THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF UNIVERSITIES IN EDUCATION, RESEARCH, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION: THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN EVALUATION FRAMEWORK

Universities are key to economic development and play a crucial role in ecosystem maturity, as they serve as hubs where knowledge, talent, and society interconnect. Governments and stakeholders around the world are increasingly calling on universities to demonstrate their impact in teaching, research, and regional development. However, there are currently no integrated mechanisms to assess, monitor and strengthen their capabilities in these areas.To address this gap, the study developed a framework to evaluate the maturity and impact of university practices in education, research, and catalyzing innovation, guiding universities to become more effective engines of economic development. Additionally, to test the evaluation framework, this mixed-methods research employed a case study of an urban public university in a developing ecosystem. Data were collected through interviews and self-administered surveys of university leaders. The study demonstrated that the framework effectively served as a developmental tool to evaluate, integrate and enhance the university's substantive activities, while considering its unique context, mission, and stakeholder needs. By implementing this systemic framework, universities can support, align, and strengthen knowledge exchange with ecosystem actors, institutions, and partners—ultimately accelerating innovation and entrepreneurship both within and beyond their ecosystems, while fostering broader economic development and societal impact.