Institutions and Policy Learning Supporting Economic Development

The paper argues that a narrow conceptualization of institutions as more or less similar to ‘good governance’ is not conductive for an understanding of the institutional underpinnings of the learning economy. In stead an explicit focus on a broad set of institutions that support learning is needed. Improving learning and innovation capabilities is not only a question of more resources for education and research (more and better schools and universities) but also of better institutions supporting interactive learning and innovation in all parts of society. A key issue is to create institutions that support utilization of indigenous knowledge and develop new ways to combine indigenous knowledge with science and technology based knowledge. It is to a large extent also a question of improving the coordination and coherence between different policy areas. Policy learning has to be institutionalized as an ongoing process of minor as well as major institutional adaptations and innovations.