1. The Impacts of Universities on
Society and Economy
An accountability exercise of the universities in
Catalonia (Spain)
Josep M. Vilalta, Alba Morales, Alicia Betts
Associació Catalana d’Universitats Públiques (ACUP)

2. The Impacts of Universities on Society and Economy
Contents
– General context
– The study
• Rationale
• Methodology
• Findings
– Conclusions of the accountability exercise

3. The Impacts of Universities on Society and Economy
General context (1)
• Universities are a key educational, social and economic agents
• OECD identifies institutions of higher education as bodies with the
capacity to re-invent today’s society
• Recent policies that support the role of universities as key agents
for social and economic development:
– Lisbon Strategy (2000): the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the
world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social
cohesion.
– Europe 2020 strategy (2010): smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.
• Demand for new roles for higher education involves two trends:
– Diversification
– Increased strategic capacity of the institutions

4. The Impacts of Universities on Society and Economy
General context (2)
• In the last 25 years Spain, and Catalonia, have made an important effort to move
from a panorama in which science was hardly present, to become the ninth state
worldwide in scientific output.
R+D expenditure (%GDP) and impact on the scientific production 2004-2008. Higher Education, Hospitals and Government
(Research Centres). European Union - 15
1.2
HIGH RESROUCES HIGH RESOURCES
R+D expendutre HE+HP+GO / GDP (%)
1 FIN SWE
NLD
0.8 DEU
AUT DNK
FRA
0,67 GBR
0.6 BEL
ESP ITA CAT
PRT
0.4 GRC IRL
LOW RESOURCES LOW RESROUCES
0.2
0
1,47
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2
Normalised impact (HE+HP+GO)
Source: ACUP, 2010.

5. The Impacts of Universities on Society and Economy
General context (3)
Dimension of the higher education systems in the EU-15
Public universities Ratio
Country Population
Research Applied Total PRU/Mhab Hab/PRU Hab/PU
Catalonia 7,290,292 7 7 0.96 1,041,470 1,041,470
Spain 45,828,172 47 47 1.03 975,067 975,067
Italy 60,045,068 61 61 1.02 384,345 984,345
France 64,369,147 80 80 1.24 804,614 804,614
Denmark 5,511,451 9 9 1.63 612,383 612,383
Luxemburg 493,500 1 1 2.03 493,500 493,500
United Kingdom 61,191,951 124 124 2.03 493,483 493,483
Germany 82,002,356 88 106 194 1.07 931,845 422,693
Sweden 9,256,347 17 11 28 1.84 544,491 330,584
The Netherlands 16,485,787 13 39 52 0.79 1,268,137 317,034
Greece 11,260,402 24 16 40 2.13 469,183 281,510
Belgium 10,839,905 15 34 49 1.38 722,660 221,223
Ireland 4,450,030 7 14 21 1.57 635,719 211,906
Austria 8,355,260 21 21 42 2.51 397,870 198,935
Portugal 10,267,250 16 40 56 1.51 664,203 189,772
Finland 5,326,314 16 25 41 3 332,895 129,910
UE 15 350,214,768 492 306 798 1.4 712,712 438,866

6. The Impacts of Universities on Society and Economy
General context (4)
Public university system of Catalonia (2009)

7. The Impacts of Universities on Society and Economy
The Study
• Aims  analyse the impact of the public universities in Catalonia’s
economy and society, to communicate the results and improve
where necessary.
• Offers  approach of the indicators that could best show the
trends.
• But  measuring the impact of university activity on society is still
a recent field and it does not yet have, at a comparative level, a
system, terminology and set of shared indicators that allow the
different parameters of these impacts on higher education systems
in Europe to be measured.
• Published in Spanish and Catalan, and has a specific on-line shorter
version (http://www.universitat-societat.cat/)

8. The Impacts of Universities on Society and Economy
Rationale (1)
• During harsh economic recession periods public investment is
revised in depth and value for money must be met.
• Accountability strengthens the legitimacy of the institutions.
• Informing about the impacts of university activity is also an
exercise of institutional responsibility and correct
management:
– obliges the universities to critically examine their own action
– subjects them to critical reviews from stakeholders and society

9. The Impacts of Universities on Society and Economy
Rationale (2)
• The Impacts of the public universities of Catalonia is a bottom-
up initiative and seeks to:
– present a system wide report on the direct and indirect impacts of the
public universities on society and the economy of Catalonia
– fill the gap in the current accountability mechanisms

10. The Impacts of Universities on Society and Economy
Methodology
• The study analyses the impact of the university activities
around four major impact areas:
– Education and human capital
– Scientific research
– Social and cultural development
– Innovation and economic progress
• The study is based on already existing data and recent studies
(only new data was created for the last chapter).

11. The Impacts of Universities on Society and Economy
Findings
Education and human capital
Scientific research
Social and cultural development
Innovation and economic progress

12. The Impacts of Universities on Society and Economy
Education and human capital (1)
• Attracting talent and highly-qualified human capital
Almost 30% of the thesis defended in the public universities of Catalonia were submitted by foreigners, higher
than the Spanish average (20%).
• Better and more highly trained citizens
In 1977, 3% of Catalan people of working age had a university degree. In 2007, this had risen to 15%. At
present, the percentage of university access for each generation of young people is around 40%, one of the
highest ones in the OECD.
Percentage of the population between 25 and 65 years old holding higher education degrees, international comparative (2008)
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Source: Eurostat.
25-64 years 25-34 years

13. The Impacts of Universities on Society and Economy
Education and human capital (2)
• Creating quality employment
The Catalan public universities create more than 40,000 jobs, 1.1% of all the jobs that are part of the Catalan
economy.
Employment situation of the Catalan university graduates, by discipline (percentage 2010 and 2011)
% employed % inactive % unemployed
Àrees /Year 2010 2011 2010 2011 2010 2011
Humanities 89.44 81.51 4.81 5.57 5.75 12.93
Social
Sciences 94.15 89.85 2.92 3.32 2.93 6.83
Science 90.44 86.45 6.6 4.98 2.95 8.87
Health 95.28 92.49 2.63 2.4 2.09 5.11
Technical 95.02 89.11 2.63 3.24 2.35 7.65
Source: AQU, 2011 .
• The success of lifelong learning education
In 2004, 75% of university graduates continued studying at Catalan public universities. 40% of the offer of
lifelong learning education in Spain takes place in Catalan public universities.

14. The Impacts of Universities on Society and Economy
Education and human capital (3)
• Training of highly qualified doctors with difficulties in finding employment in the private
sector
In recent courses, an average of 1,500 doctoral thesis have been defended in Catalan public
universities and they are the leaders in high-quality doctoral programmes. At the same time
however, the labour insertion of doctors in the private sector is 16%, compared to the 44% in the
United States.
• High employability of university graduates and satisfaction with the chosen academic
programmes
The employment level of university graduates is around 80%, almost 30% above the total of the
population. In 2011, 73% of the degree holders said that they felt satisfied with the degrees they
had followed and that they would repeat the choice.

15. The Impacts of Universities on Society and Economy
Scientific research (1)
• Quality research
Catalan public universities have a scientific impact of 34% more than the world
average, in front of Germany, France and Finland, and above the EU-15 average.
• Catalan public universities leading the country's research
Between 2004 and 2008, 20% of the scientific production in Catalonia was produced in
public universities. If the research carried out in university hospitals and research
centres linked to public universities is added to this, a figure of 90% is reached.
• Catalonia, a race towards international scientific excellence
The country's university scientific production in terms of population, is ahead of
Germany, Japan and France, and is leader in Spain.

16. The Impacts of Universities on Society and Economy
Scientific research (2)
• Leaders in obtaining resources for scientific research
The Catalan public universities were in fourth position in obtaining grants from the EU Framework
Programme for R&D between 2007 and 2010. At the same time, between 2007 and 2010, Catalonia
received 57% of the total ERC awards in Spain.
ERC awards by country in the five calls (M/hab., 2007-2010)
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
C…
7…
IT
PT
NL
IS
HU
FI
BG
FR
NO
DK
ES-
AT
CZ
PL
ES+
IL
SE
CY
EL
UK
IE
EE
CH
BE
DE
Source: Generalitat de Catalunya, 2010.

17. The Impacts of Universities on Society and Economy
Scientific research (3)
• At the head of applications for university patents
The increase in the application of patents by Catalan universities between 2000 and 2009 was 89% and places
it in the group of countries with the greatest proportion of worldwide applications for patents from the
university sector.
Patent petition increase EU-15, world and universities of Catalonia (PCT 2000-2009)
100% 88.89%
80% 67.00%
60% 43.16%
40%
20%
0%
EU-15 World Universities in Catalonia
Source: ACUP, 2011

18. The Impacts of Universities on Society and Economy
Scientific research (4)
• Closely collaborating with companies and promoting knowledge transfer
Catalan public universities invoiced a total of 125.7 thousand/million€ to companies for special
technical services and studies in 2009.
• Research groups and centres par excellence
Catalan public universities have 684 consolidated research groups and have fuelled most of the
research centres promoted by the Generalitat of Catalonia. They also closely participate in
university hospitals’ research.

19. The Impacts of Universities on Society and Economy
Social and cultural development
• A university for everyone, that promotes the improvement of social status
The proportion of students in higher education whose parents do not have university
education is 40% in Catalonia, the highest figure in OECD countries. In 1973, 37% of
students in public universities were women. In 2010, this percentage was 54%.
• Promoting a more participative, plural and culturally rich society
The statistics corroborate that the higher the level of education, the greater civic and
political participation, tolerance and cultural consumption.
• A university system with a greater need for scholarships and grants for students
Public spending on scholarships and grants for students in Spain as part of the total
expense on education is very low (8.2%), far from the OECD average (17.3%) and that
of countries such as the United Kingdom (25.8%) or Denmark (30.8%). In
Catalonia, 80% of young people study without grants, a percentage that is much
higher than the most advanced European countries.

20. The Impacts of Universities on Society and Economy
Social and cultural development
• An impulse to social sciences and humanities and to Catalan culture
In 2009, 24.32% of all the funding granted to research groups was
destined to these areas. The Catalan public universities were clearly
notable thanks to their contribution to studying and promoting the
Catalan language, culture and nation.
• At the forefront of international cooperation
Catalan public universities are the most active ones in Spain in matters of
university cooperation for development. Catalonia coordinates 17
UNESCO chairs, as opposed to 19 in France, 11 in Italy and 15 in the
United Kingdom and the United States.

21. The Impacts of Universities on Society and Economy
Innovation and economic progress
• A notable impact on the country's economy
The short-term direct and indirect benefits of the existence of eight Catalan public universities is around 0.6% of
Catalonia's GDP and around 1% of the GDP if we include the institutions linked to universities.
• Catalan public universities, among the most efficient in scientific research in Europe
Measuring efficiency (publications per researcher depending on resources) and impact, the Catalan public university
system is above the European average and is comparable to countries such as Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.
Expenditure in R+D (%)/ GDP in Europe and Catalonia (2006)
0.05
0.045
0.04
0.035
0.03
0.025
0.02
0.015
0.01
0.005
0
DE BE CZ DK IE FR CY CAT HU IT ES NL BG
Source: Eurostat

22. The Impacts of Universities on Society and Economy
Innovation and economic progress
• A decisive impulse towards innovation and entrepreneurship
In 2009, there were 2,165 innovative, technology-based companies in Catalan scientific parks, of which
81.38% were small enterprises and micro companies. In 2008, Catalan public universities created 21
spin-off companies.
Expenditure in Technologic Innovation. Catalonia 2003-2009
4,500
3926.94 3780.644
4,000 3490.488 3539.799 3494.868
3,500 3073.661
3389.477683
3,000 3230.294258 3186.701786 3211.815499
2933.830842
M€
2916.821 2966.854247
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Nominal
Source: ACUP, 2011.

23. The Impacts of Universities on Society and Economy
Innovation and economic progress
• A nexus between Catalonia and the world
More than 6,700 students attended Catalan public universities during the 2007-2008 academic
year, whilst 3,600 Catalan people went abroad to study.
• Every euro invested in universities in the economy produces 1.88 euros
For every euro invested in higher education the economy receives 1.88 euros, making higher
education institutions crucial economic agents.

24. The Impacts of Universities on Society and Economy
Conclusions (1)
• Evidence that public universities in Catalonia are are dynamic, high-
performing institutions creating a higher education and research system
that can compete at an international level and with a key impact on the
social and cultural development and economic progress of Catalonia.
• Indirect outcomes, the need to:
– Develop follow-up studies on university graduates and their professional careers upon
entering the labour market;
– identify appropriate indicators that can provide accurate information for future analysis of this
kind to reflect the impact of the social and cultural dimension of the universities on society
and economy, and, the need to systematically gather and analyse the data;
– engage in further research on how innovation and technological activities impact; and
– in-depth research on the skills and capacities that the labour market values, and those that
the university aims to provide students with.

25. The Impacts of Universities on Society and Economy
Conclusions (2)
• The study concludes that universities are probably the
institutions with most impact and that bring most value to the
territory, whether through training and human
capital, scientific research, social and cultural development or
innovation and economic progress.

26. The Impacts of Universities on Society and Economy
Thank you.
http://www.universitat-societat.cat/
www.acup.cat