Title: Insights into Academic Understanding of the University's Third Role in a Developing System: Empirical Evidence from Thailand

There is growing interest in the development of regional innovation systems (RISs) and the involvement of higher education institutions. In Thailand, RISs are being widely promoted; it is assumed that the knowledge economy will be built not only at the national but also at sub-national levels. This idea is emphasised during the effective period of recent National Economic and Social Development Plans, particularly that of the Ninth (2002 2006) and the Tenth (2007 2011) plans (NESDB, 2005; Termpitayapaisit, 2009). This is reinforced by Webster (2006, p.1) who states that ’[t]he geographic dimension of development will become even more important during the Tenth National Development plan . . . [the objectives of development are] all place-based concepts’.