Title: University and social innovation: the case of an urban regeneration in the Municipality of Rome

Authors: Francesco Pelagallo; Massimiliano M. Pellegrini; Raffaele Giannitelli; Patrizio Sartini

Addresses: Department of Management and Law, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Via Columbia, 2, 00133 Rome, Italy ' Department of Management and Law, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata', Via Columbia, 2, 00133 Rome, Italy ' Surf Engineering, Via Luigi Robecchi Brichetti 10, 00154 Rome, Italy ' School of Economics, Università di Roma 'Tor Vergata', Via Columbia, 2, 00133 Rome, Italy

Abstract: A university's role has always been to teach and research, however a 'third mission' has recently arisen and has become increasingly central to universities' focus. Although this new goal has already been researched, case studies on the social innovation of universities incorporating this third mission are less thorough. One case study, which concerns the urban redevelopment of areas in the Municipality of Rome, identifies the specific tasks and functions performed by the university, particularly with regard to related organisational aspects. Therefore, analysing the various phases of this urban redevelopment project, i.e., territorial analysis, meta-project, and regeneration program, a model was developed to analyse the role of the university as an actor, orchestrator and promoter of 'social' culture. This model serves to highlight the contributing factors that enable the transformation of the university's role from merely a secondary subject to a strategic player of primary importance.

Keywords: social innovation; urban regeneration; entrepreneurial universities; university's third mission; university's social mission.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPSPM.2021.114044

International Journal of Public Sector Performance Management, 2021 Vol.7 No.2, pp.264 - 286

Received: 10 May 2019
Accepted: 11 May 2019
Published online: 08 Apr 2021 *

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