Internal and External Actionable Determinants of University Involvement in Regional Economic Policy: a Triple Helix Perspective

Abstract Current gaps in innovation ecosystem research call for more insights in human agency, the incentives influencing collaboration between actors and the specificity of emerging ecosystems. This study addresses these issues in examining the internal and external determinants influencing a university’s involvement in regional economic policy, using Hasselt University in Belgium as a case study. Through network analysis and semi-structured interviews, the research identifies external factors including strategic economic planning, multi-level governance alignment, and coordination of governance. Internal determinants include the university’s mission, connecting global excellence with local relevance, transversal support structures, and institutional entrepreneurship. The interplay between these factors shapes the university’s ability to engage in regional development. The findings suggest that policymakers and university leaders should adopt a systems perspective, considering how different determinants reinforce each other. This study complements existing frameworks by providing actionable insights for stakeholders to enhance university engagement in economic development processes.