How do institutional changes facilitate university-centric networks in Taiwan? The Triple Helix model of innovation view

Abstract

Abstract This article investigates how institutional changes facilitate university-centric interactions from the Triple Helix model of innovation perspective. The Triple Helix research framework consists of three cyclical dimensions, namely government institutional changes, the roles, missions, and interactions of universities, and university-centric networks. By developing a triangulation method, the qualitative dataset of the Taiwanese institutional changes includes science and technology, educational, and industrial policies; the quantitative dataset (1986–2015) collects the patents of Taiwanese universities via the US Patent and Trademark Office database. The results reveal that integrated policies systemically facilitate institutional changes that drive the transition of university’s roles and missions, while the university-centric networks have transformed from isolated to loosely-coupled and ultimately, to densely interactive networks. This article concludes that government institutional changes have effectively transformed the roles and interactions of universities with other actors towards entrepreneurial universities, in turn, have facilitated a more interactive Triple Helix model of innovation in Taiwan. Some policy implications are suggested.