Professor Ellen Hazelkorn is the Director of Research and Enterprise, and Dean of the Graduate Research School, Dublin Institute of Technology, Ireland; she also leads the Higher Education Policy Research Unit.  She is a Consultant to the OECD Programme on Institutional Management of Higher Education (IMHE), and is also associated with the International Association of Universities (IAU).

Ellen is Rapporteur for the EU Expert Group on Assessment of University-based Research, and a member of National Digital Research Centre (NDRC) Management Board, the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Foresight Working Group [Ireland], and the International Advisory Council of the Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences. She is a member of the Executive Committee of the Dean and European Academic Network (DEAN), and the Editorial Boards of Higher Education Management and Policy (OECD) and Higher Education Policy (IAU).

Ellen has published articles and books on Irish politics and society; digital technologies, gender, work practices and the cultural industries; relations between the media and the state; and higher education policy. Her study, Developing Research in New Institutions, was published by OECD (September, 2005). Most recently, she has published extensively on the impact and influence of higher education rankings on decision-making and academic behaviour in association with IMHE and IAU [http://www.oecd.org/edu/imhe/rankings], the EUA, UNESCO and the Institute for Higher Education Policy (USA) [http://www.ihep.org/press-room/news_release-detail.cfm?id=166]. Her book, Rankings and the Reshaping of Higher Education: The Battle for World-Class Excellence, will be published by Palgrave in 2010.

Email: Ellen.hazelkorn@dit.ie

“I feel very honoured to be invited to participate in these commemorative celebrations of the University of Latvia.  The origins and history of the University have many similarities with that of my own institution, Dublin Institute of Technology, just as Ireland and Latvia share many of the same challenges as small nations competing globally.  The University of Latvia has played a significant part in the cultural and economic development of Latvia, and through its programme of international cooperation makes a major contribution to the reputation of your country and its highly educated people. I know that the University of Latvia will continue to make a significant contribution to Latvian society and the economy over the next 100 years ”

A Strategy for Small Nations in a Time of Economic Crisis

The global economic crisis has been more severe in some countries than others. Ireland and Latvia share similar characteristics in the way in which the crisis has affected them, and the policy responses. In contrast to countries which are investing substantial funding through stimulus or other strategies, restrictions on national budgets are posing very difficult choices on Ireland and Latvia. But, higher education has a vital role to play in building the ‘smart economy’. This can be lost, particularly in difficult times, when politicians and the public use simple indicators to measure value-for-money and return-on-investment. The contribution higher education makes is not always predictable or manageable, and not all inputs have a direct linear output. It’s most important contribution is through human capital – deepening expertise, knowledge and skills – and making the society and economy attractive to international talent and investment.

This presentation will draw on the international literature and experience to discuss the contribution that higher education makes to the research-innovation and commercialisation eco-system. What are the lessons from this experience, and what strategies can small open economies adopt particularly in the present global environment?