Green Paper on University “Third Mission”

(Valencia, 20 August 2012) A European Commission-funded project, “European Indicators and Ranking Methodology for University Third Mission” (E3M) has released a green paper title Fostering and Measuring “Third Mission” in Higher Education Institutions. The document not only provides information about what the E3M participating institutions learned in the course of this unique project, but perhaps more importantly, specific insights into the “kinds of beneficial impact universities can have on their host societies, and the circumstances that influence the ability of universities to deliver those impacts”.
In addition to serving as an important information dissemination tool to key stakeholders, the Green Paper authors also hope it will spur concrete action with regard to further development and implementation of “Third Mission Indicators and Metrics”. Specifically, the report provides important information about the utility of indicators and metrics to render third mission activities more “monitorable”, and therefore to some “extent influenceable or manageable”. Good indicators and metrics “well and responsibly handled” can help managers take informed decisions and leverage resources for future development. They can also help institutions communicate with and learn from one another. However, the Green Paper also clearly cautions that such tools are only useful if they are developed carefully and employed thoughtfully, taking into account the strategic goals and unique contexts of individual institutions.
The Green Paper abstains from articulating a ranking methodology for university Third Mission activity, but does suggest that there is “significant potential for the use of Third Mission metrics… to provide comparisons for small groups of comparable institutions”, i.e. benchmarking. Further conversation on how best to measure and track Third Mission activities is encouraged, with the clear preference expressed to work diligently towards achieving intelligent, useful tracking and measurement tools in this area, rather than rushing headlong into quick, careless solutions that may ultimately be more damaging than helpful.
E3M project website: www.e3mproject.eu/results.html.
See also Defining and Delivering the University’s Third Mission and Universities' Third Mission: Indicators and Good Practices.