Opening the Ivory Tower to Business: University-Industry Linkages and the Development of Knowledge-Intensive Clusters in Asian Cities

In a globalizing environment in which the competitiveness of firms and the economic prosperity of major urban centers hinges on technological dynamism and the capacity to nurture innovation, universities have an increasingly vital role. Beyond the traditional role of teaching, leading universities in middle and lower-middle income countries are finding that the need to enlarge or build research capabilities in basic research and also in technology development is being urged upon them by governments and by firms. This collection of papers charts progress to date indicates where it might be heading and assesses the pace and direction of change.