Mapping knowledge transfer of German universities – an analysis of 145 mission statements

Universities are increasingly expected to actively contribute to societal developments that go beyond teaching and research activities. This societal impact is largely based on knowledge transfer and interlinkages between universities and society. However, the patterns and scope of knowledge transfer can vary between universities, implying different transfer profiles with individual settings of transfer mechanisms, transfer partners and their geographical localisation. In this paper we analyse different forms of knowledge transfer profiles in the external communication of German universities, based on an analysis of 145 mission statements. The results show a high diversity of knowledge transfer profiles, both in the intensity and thematic focus of knowledge transfer. Some universities focus more on knowledge transfer to the economy while other universities have a stronger transfer focus on state actors. Regarding the type of higher education institutes, we further find that universities of applied sciences have a higher transfer intensity than universities. However, most universities have a profile with a low overall intensity of knowledge transfer, indicating that knowledge transfer plays a subordinate role in universities’ profiling, despite being a codified task.