Universities as knowledge incubators: Possibilities for novelty

The current Thematic Section is dedicated to possibilities of maintaining and enhancing of new knowledge production function of universities, with a focus on the social sciences. It starts from the assumption that our contemporary university administration systems have become inflexible due to their bureaucratic overgrowth of regulations of university studies. From that follows the need to create new conditions to knowledge incubators—groups of researchers united with goals of innovation in a given field. The different contributions cover the relevance for knowledge incubation improved funding possibilities, new technologies (AI), and general intellectual atmosphere in universities. This atmosphere is generated through a set of local social norm systems about inclusion exclusion of participants in different places on university territories, the demand structures of assignments, plagiarism tests, and organization of examinations. All these super-curricular structures enhance the fixed knowledge transfer functions of higher education in contrast to new knowledge incubation. The latter is particularly important in the social sciences since new ways of understanding human beings within societies are needed. Contributions to this Section also outline the socio-political constraints upon knowledge incubation. Paradoxically it can be the application for and success in gaining research funding that can curtail innovation in ideas in the social sciences.