Universities and smart specialisation strategy: From third mission to sustainable development co-creation Available to Purchase

Chiara Rinaldi obtained her PhD in Education Sciences and Territory Analysis from the University of Macerata (Italy). At the time the research was conducted, she was a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Education, Cultural Heritage and Tourism at the University of Macerata (Italy) and, since May 2016, she is a Post-Doctoral Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research Fellow at the School of Business, Economics and Law – University of Gothenburg (Sweden). She is currently working on the research project “Food and gastronomy as leverage for local development – FOODEV”. Her research interests lie in the area of sustainability and sustainable development, food and gastronomy, participatory approaches and tourism.

Alessio Cavicchi is an Associate Professor at the Department of Education, Cultural Heritage and Tourism at University of Macerata (Italy). His main fields of interest and research are consumer food choice, economics of food quality and safety, sustainable tourism and innovation in the agro-food sector. He has experience as external expert for several programmes and DGs of the European Commission in the food sector. His works have been published in several international books and journals.

Francesca Spigarelli is an Assistant Professor at the University of Macerata (Italy). She teaches Applied Economics, Microeconomics and Economic of Innovation in the Faculty of Law. She also teaches International business at several Italian MBA and PhD programs, with a specific focus on internationalization processes of firms, the strategies of small and medium-sized companies, emerging market multinationals, mergers and acquisitions.

She is the Vice Rector for Entrepreneurship and Technological Transfer, for the European Charter of Researchers and for the European Research projects. Her Research fields and competences: Third and fourth mission of universities; Internationalization strategies of Small and medium firms; Chinese investments in the Western Markets and Chinese Economy.

Luigi Lacchè is a Full Professor of History of Law. He got his Degree in Law at University of Macerata and his PhD in History (University of Perugia).

From 2004 to 2010 he was Vice-Rector of University of Macerata. From 2010 to 2016 he was Rector of the University of Macerata. He is now President of the Confucius Institute at University of Macerata.

Arthur Rubens is Professor of Management at Florida Gulf Coast University, Lutgert College of Business. He has over 25 years of experience as an educator, administrator, and consultant, and has taught classes in multiple countries. His research interests are in leadership, ethics, economic development and sustainability.