Maximising the Potential of University-Business Collaborations for Regional Sustainability through Stakeholder-Centred Evaluation

Olphin, Cathy and Tyfield, David and Larty, Joanne (2026) Maximising the Potential of University-Business Collaborations for Regional Sustainability through Stakeholder-Centred Evaluation. PhD thesis, Lancaster University.

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Abstract

This thesis examines the critical role of evaluation in university-business collaborations (UBCs) aimed at driving sustainable regional development. Despite widespread recognition of UBCs as key catalysts for sustainability transitions, existing evaluative practices often fail to adequately account for stakeholder diversity, place-based contexts, and the dynamic tensions inherent in collaboration. Through a mixed-methods approach, this research explores how evaluative frameworks can be reshaped to harness tensions in a productive manner which maximises the potential of sustainable collaborations, and thus the potential for sustainable regional impact. The thesis develops and applies multiple conceptual lenses to evaluative methodologies in the context of a 3-year longitudinal study of a university-business collaboration project focused on low-carbon innovation. Given the inherent focus of existing literature on value and practical knowledge, the thesis uses lenses of heterarchy and phronesis to shed new light onto the challenges and opportunities of navigating stakeholder priorities. The findings demonstrate the potential of phronesis-driven (practical wisdom) approaches to foster alignment between global sustainability aims and the priorities of regional stakeholders, supporting the development of place-based innovation which engages regional stakeholders throughout the process. By emphasising the importance of proactive, place-based and stakeholder-centred evaluations, this work contributes to both theory and practice, offering actionable insights for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners engaged in designing and implementing university-business collaborations for sustainability. Taking a step back from evaluative methodologies and frameworks, the aims and outcomes of evaluation itself are critically considered to examine how this can be better harnessed to strengthen collaborations and predispose favourable outcomes for stakeholders. The findings emphasise the potential of considering evaluation from a different perspective, as a tool for not only measuring impact but also shaping collaborative processes to deliver equitable and sustainable outcomes.