This course is an introductory course to students with a limited background in the innovation studies tradition. It uses macroeconomic models as well as empirical and historical evidence on the evolution of industries. The case studies cover examples of adoption of innovations related to communication technologies, and assignments are tailored to the ITU audience. 

The courses offered by UNU-MERIT are university level training courses. We require participants to have a completed MSc (or equivalent) in Social Sciences (Economics, Public Policy) or related discipline (e.g. Engineering, Political Science).

We are open to accept participants with BA degree (or equivalent) with work experience in the field, and well developed analytical thinking (university level). In those cases, we require an entrance check based on CV including educational attainment and work experience.

Language: Fluency in English is required.

• To acquire the basic jargon necessary to discuss, in a consistent and rigorous way, innovation issues;
• To understand the role that innovation and technical change play in shaping competitiveness and industrial change;
• To recognize sector-level specificities in the sources of innovation, and compare their consequences for practice and policy;
• To recognize and examine the systemic nature of the innovative process. 

The course is divided into four units. The units have been carefully chosen in order to provide an overview of the most important aspects in innovation, economic and social development.    

The four units are: 

Unit 1: Emergence of new technologies

Unit 2: Innovation and economic development  

Unit 3: Innovation diffusion and technology transfer 

Unit 4: The dark side of innovation and responsible innovation 

The course is offered online, with 10 weeks registration time of which 4 weeks course content offering. The course content includes:

• Weekly synchronous online lecture
• Weekly synchronous online tutorial session
• Weekly Required (and optional) readings and toolkit materials (asynchronous)
• Individual Unit Exams
• Individual Final assignment and oral exam
• Optional weekly live (synchronous) Q&A sessions and Q&A discussion forum (asynchronous)
• Available deepening materials / policy applications and examples (asynchronous)

Readings: For each unit, a selection of compulsory readings is identified, complemented with a list of additional readings for the interested reader.  

Each unit contains an assignment, which participants have to complete for the course.   

All materials can be accessed through the online student platform. 

Participants are required to submit one multiple-choice exam at the end of each module. Each assignment is graded individually on a 1-10 scale.

Upon completion of the course, participants need to submit an individual assignment.  Upon completion of all unit exams and submission of the assignment, there will be an individual oral exam.

The final grade for this module is the simple weighed average of all assignment grades

Unit 1 Exam - 10%

Unit 2 Exam - 10%

Unit 3 Exam - 10%

Unit 4 Exam - 10%

Individual final assignment  - 30%

Oral examination - 30%

You will pass the course if the average grade is 5.5 or higher (on a 10 point scale, with 1 being lowest and 10 being highest) and if the grade for at least three unit exams 5.5 or higher.

For each Unit exam there is one resit option, In case you take this option (which is open to all, irrespective the grade of exam one) the grade for the resit option will replace the initial grade (also in case the initial grade was higher). This resit option is available immediately after the completion of the exam.

For the individual assignment, there is one resit opportunity, linked to a resit oral exam. You are allowed to take the resit if your assignment grade is below 5.5 (on a 10 point scale, with 1 being lowest and 10 being highest) or if your final grade is below 5.5.

A total score of 5.5 or higher is required to pass the course and obtain the ITU certificate.

UNIT 1

Sessions/Topics covered

This unit discusses the emergence of new technologies in different technological domains. This includes perspectives of technology evolution, firm strategy, and market opportunity. Different case studies will be discussed with regard to whether/how science and technology-push can affect innovation, and whether the incentives provided by demand-pull policies are sufficient to induce non-incremental technological change.    

Key learning points

•             Understand the mechanisms of innovation

•             Understand the impact of emerging technologies on the economy and society

•             Identify the opportunities and threats associated with emerging technologies

•             Explain the role of policy as a development tool in the context of emerging technologies

•             Identify the set of policies that are relevant to encourage the appropriate development of new technologies

Training activities details

•             Synchronous online lecture

•             Synchronous online tutorial session

•             Individual Unit Exam

•             Optional live (synchronous) Q&A sessions and Q&A discussion forums (asynchronous)

•             Required and optional readings

UNIT 2

Sessions/Topics covered

Innovation is at the heart of economic and social development. Innovation is often regarded as the main engine that drives and steers the development trajectory. In this unit, we will provide a systemic analysis exploring the relationship between innovation and economic development. We will use specific cases to discuss technological innovation, economic catching up and leadership changes.          

Key learning points

·             Understand the significance of innovation in economic and social development

·             Examine the technological innovation and its impact on economic catching up and leadership changes in sectoral production and innovation

·             Understand the role of knowledge and capabilities accumulation in driving economic growth and development and the interactions of national and global sources of learning

Training activities details

•             Synchronous online lecture

•             Synchronous online tutorial session

•             Individual Unit Exam

•             Optional live (synchronous) Q&A sessions and Q&A discussion forums (asynchronous)

•             Required and optional readings

UNIT 3

Sessions/Topics covered

In this unit, we will use specific cases to discuss innovation and technology transfer. This can be at national, regional or firm level. Discussions will be conducted around the questions, such as how latecomers can take advantages over the established industrial powers, and what are the channels for technology diffusion at regional level.

Key learning points

·             Understand the different forms of knowledge or technology transfer

·             Understand factors that influence knowledge or technology transfer

·             Understand the role universities and research institutes play in the diffusion of knowledge and the challenges they face

·             Critically evaluate research on this field and implications for policy

Training activities details

·             Synchronous online lecture

·             Synchronous online tutorial session

·             Individual Unit Exam

·             Optional live (synchronous) Q&A sessions and Q&A discussion forums (asynchronous)

·             Required and optional readings

UNIT 4

Sessions/Topics covered

While innovation has been regarded as an important engine for economic growth, there are rising concerns about the dark side of innovation, in particular in this fourth industrial revolution. The harm from innovation can be observed in many different domains, e.g. health problems, environment degradation, societal issues, etc. Different from mature technologies, emerging technologies are characterised by technological uncertainty and variability. In this unit, we discuss questions related to the dark side of innovation and responsible innovation.

Key learning points

·             Understand the “unintended” negative effects of new technologies

·             Identify the potential negative consequences to society and to individuals of emerging technologies and identify appropriate policy responses to mitigate these consequences

·             Discuss dark innovations in various sectors

·             Compare policy tools for sustainability transition

Training activities details

•             Synchronous online lecture

•             Synchronous online tutorial session

•             Individual Unit Exam

•             Optional live (synchronous) Q&A sessions and Q&A discussion forums (asynchronous)

•             Individual Final assignment and oral exam

•             Required and optional readings