معرفی
David Charles is Professor of Enterprise and Innovation at Northumbria University and founding director of the Northumbria Centre for Innovation, Regional Transformation and Entrepreneurship (iNCITE). Previously, he served as Director of Research and Deputy Head of College at Lincoln International Business School, Director of Research at Newcastle University Business School, and Dean of Research at Curtin University in Australia. His academic career spans multiple prestigious institutions across the UK, Australia, and Europe.
Charles holds a PhD in Geography (1992) and BA (Hons) in Geography (1982). His research program has consistently focused on regional innovation systems, university engagement with communities, and innovation policy in less favored regions. He has developed metrics now used annually by the UK to measure university-business-community engagement and has led numerous ESRC and EU Framework Programme projects.
His scholarly work reveals a consistent trajectory examining how universities contribute to regional economic development, particularly through knowledge exchange mechanisms and innovation policy implementation. The publications demonstrate increasing focus on rural contexts, university third mission activities, and the measurement of university regional impact over the past decade.
- Fellow of the Academy of Social Science
- Fellow of the Regional Studies Association
- NESTA Fellowship on science cities (2007)
Charles has supervised over 20 doctoral students throughout his career, with current supervision including research on SME resilience, pharmaceutical innovation, and post-crisis SME recovery. He has led major research grants totaling nearly £1 million, including the £989,422 Insights North East project funded by Research England. His research collaborations span across Europe and Australia with institutions including Stavanger, Twente, Linköping, and Curtin Universities.
As director of iNCITE, Charles leads research on innovation ecosystems and regional transformation, with particular emphasis on the North East of England. His current work applies policy-related research through partnerships with Newcastle City Council, North of Tyne Combined Authority, and local NHS Trusts.
