Finnish polytechnics as providers of knowledge-intensive services

Abstract

Polytechnics are newcomers in companies' regional innovation environments in Finland. Particularly in regions with no university of their own or with only few knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) providers, they may become, and in some cases already are, important providers of science-and-technology-related services. The aim of this article is to analyse the roles, possibilities and challenges of polytechnics as public KIBS providers. Also, the position of polytechnics as a tool of Finnish innovation policy will be discussed.

Keywords:

• business services
• HEI-industry co-operation
• innovation policy
• knowledge intensity
• polytechnics

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support provided by the Finnish Ministry of Education.

Notes

1. The Centre of Expertise Programme is a fixed-term subregional programme initiated by central government that aims to pool local, regional and national resources in selected, internationally competitive fields and to develop business activities in those fields (Centre of Expertise Programme, 2007).