University governance as a research and educational corporation: A model and governance mechanisms

Abstract

In the innovation-driven economy, universities are increasingly expected to serve as drivers of technological development and system-forming centres of innovation activity. However, the traditional architecture of university governance has become too conservative to fulfil this role effectively. The aim of this study is to develop a governance model of the research and educational corporation as an organisationally integrated system in which research, education, and innovation-driven entrepreneurial activities are combined into a unified resource reproduction cycle through integrated corporate governance mechanisms. The study identifies the key components of this governance model, including a Strategic Innovation Committee; an internal venture fund and royalty distribution model; a Partnership Management Office operating as a one-stop interface for external stakeholders; a digital platform for end-to-end project management; staff rotation mechanisms; and an internal reinvestment system for revenues generated through the commercialisation of intellectual property. The study demonstrates that the transition to a regime of managed variability, characterised by the absence of persistent dominance of any single functional subsystem, constitutes a necessary condition for enabling the university to perform the role of an ecosystem hub. The methodological framework is based on the ecosystem approach to analysing the role of universities, the concept of the entrepreneurial university, and institutional and governance analysis of internal university management architectures. The research also employs conceptual modelling, structural-functional analysis, and comparative analysis of governance practices. As a practical outcome, the study proposes a system of performance indicators for assessing the effectiveness of a research and educational corporation and supporting evidence-based managerial decision-making. The findings may be of practical value to university leadership (including rectors and vice-rectors responsible for strategic development and innovation), as well as to development institutions and public authorities responsible for science, higher education, and innovation policy.