1. Driving sustainable regional development through innovation – a role for CQUniversity …an overview of the CQ Innovation Prospectus EIDOS, Brisbane 28th September 2011 Susan Kinnear (Senior researcher, CQUniversity) and Ian Ogden (Innovative Regions Facilitator , DIISR – Central Queensland)

2. Some key themes … What role has innovation to play in sustainable regional development ? What role do regions play in innovation ? How can ISRD be best described, measured, predicted ? How can non-traditional innovation outcomes be assessed ? How can regional stakeholders be brought together under the ISRD umbrella ? What is the role of regional universities in the Innovation and SRD agendas? What is the CQ context – past, present and future?

3. The CQ Innovation Accord (2010) … a regional agreement and commitment to foster innovation in all aspects of regional and development and progress Signed by 150 regional leaders from industry, government and community – establishing CQ as a leading region in ‘systemic’ (rather than firm-by-firm) innovation

4. The follow-through …2011 A comprehensive body of work aimed at identifying and realising the potential for innovation to intersect with regional development in CQ

6. Innovation may be driven through structural reform (e.g., CQUni dual sector bid) as well as through specific actions that harmonise industry needs and educational outcomes(e.g. WIL)

7. Regional knowledge capital can strengthened/accelerated by innovative use of technology

9. Debrief conclusions The pace and nature of regional development in CQ is uneven (e.g., coastal centres to the exclusion of western communities; booming resources industries cf declining agriculture, tourism and services). Current, traditional metrics are inadequate to capture regional innovation (no patents in the Central West since 1994!) Innovation can be pursued by pursuing greater collaborative linkages … novel partnerships that draw together players from diverse and seemingly unrelated backgrounds

10. The policy implications – a need for integration Innovation Australia's innovation policy is entering a phase of renewal and refocus – ‘colllaboration and connectedness’ A shift in nature from technological, to scientific, to systemic The introduction of regional innovation systems Innovation policy paradigms are moving toward a holistic interpretation of ‘innovation’… introducing the possibility of overlap with many other policy areas

11. The policy implications – a need for integration Sustainability Regional areas as natural and logical ‘entities’ by which environmental issues can be tackled. Regional Australia as the ‘proving ground’ for low-carbon, alternative energy industries Sustainability (simultaneously social, economic and environmental) gives regions a bright future

12. The policy implications – a need for integration Regional development A phase of renewal and refocus - a dynamic space Australia's regions essential in delivering national goals Regionals face (and deal with) major challenges: food, water and energy security; land use conflicts; climate change; the low-carbon transition; managing multi-speed economies ….and they do so with less resources Most policy developed and delivered from a siloed 'solutions' focus (not converging 'issues' focus) Regional governance must shift to a paradigm of true regional value and action (collaboration and connectedness?)

13. The policy implications – a need for integration

14. Where does that leave ‘innovative’ regions …? There is a need to utilise regional capital and coordinate the innovation, regional development and sustainability agendas (regional coordination) Cross-disciplinary innovation is a likely enabler of maximum regional value (multidisciplinary approach) There is a need to develop and adopt new metrics – (to provide the evidence base for determining the benefit of policy integration… what is the best return for federal govt spend?)(research and its applications) A role for regional universities… ?

15. A role for regional universities (CQUni) Consider the key objectives of DoRA: Increase regional productivity, economic development & diversification Regional Leadership and representation Improve regional service delivery Improve return on federal investment spend Coordinate across tiers of govt and across portfolios Now consider: Teaching learning, research and innovation, engagement, advocacy, regional citizenship…. a large organisational footprint… a multidisciplinary organisational focus

16. Partnering with SME‘s (CQUni case study) SME's occupy a critical role in the Aust economy (46% GDP 2006) Little is known about regional SME's beyond baseline counts HE has a poor record of engagement with SME's SME'sare willing to partner but struggle with costs, resources and entry points Multiple benefits apparent for Uni's and SME's More work needs to done to define the value proposition for both; tailored strategies needed

17. Regional business want help…

18. But are regional universities missing this opportunity…?

19. Eco–innovation case studies Envirolink Solar Power group – innovation through community connectedness Rocky's Own Transport Co – innovation in emissions tracking and measurement through research collaboration (CQUni) Precision Agriculture – innovation in primary industry Zerogen – innovation and insights into low carbon coal technology ….but what is the role of these in wider regional development strategy and planning?

20. Local Government snapshots Poor appetite for focus on regional innovation Low evidence of connectedness with economic actors Regional aspirations…. but local focus Under-resourced Great potential as innovative 'place managers'

21. Innovation in Strategic Regional Planning Innovative regions have prerequisites: a critical mass of people and organisations to create leading edge knowledge transfer; the presence of people and organisations who set the standard for industry; the existence of an extensive set of pilot/demonstration projects – experimentation to develop real-world improvements; and a demonstrated, active participation and presence in the knowledge economy. Momentum can be gained by: Building up consensus Analysing (negotiating and communicating) regional potential Defining priorities and action planning

22. Establishing a regional collaborative… Principles: Not to duplicate or replicate Recognise the free market as the 'doer' Focus on tangible outcomes Shared investment, shared benefit, shared risk Agglomeration of supply and demand (human capital) through collaboration and connectedness Playing to the strength of every participant

23. The model for the future (2012) national objectives : regional value The CQRegional Collaborative will establish a structural mechanism by which innovation can be used to deliver sustainable regional development in Central Queensland (piloted from “Innovation Central” at the CQUni Research and Innovation Precinct, Rockhampton)

24. A new approach to regional development through collaborative decision-making and investment Innovation Central Pipeline Assessment and support …and given the necessary support to succeed … assessed using a standardised regional development tool Where the flow of ideas, issues and/or information… …is captured through an accessible regional entry point … developed collaboratively through open innovation

26. Capacity building (training and skilling)

27. Implementation (on-ground activity)

28. Linkages, engagement and regional profiling

30. Recognising the value of regional universities

31. Strengthening the relevance of RDA committees

32. Respecting the roles of existing regional entities

34. Direct pathway for staff to access business and industry

35. Awareness of regional initiatives , priorities and players

36. Co-investment for the CQ Innovation and Research Precinct

39. Creating buy-in with lead organisations

40. Creating a working party – confirming mechanics, funding and support

41. Establishing the Innovation Board