This article explores underlying mechanisms triggering a change in conceptualization of innovation in the European Union (EU), the impact of this change on institutional demands upon European universities and implications for evaluation procedures. We mobilize the theoretical concept of critical junctures to explore significant periods that have affected understanding of innovation in the EU as well as institutional expectations from universities. Through an analysis of European policy corpus relating to innovation, we identify three distinct periods, 1983–6, 1995–2000, and 2008–12, entailing fairly fundamental shifts that have considerably broadened the understanding of innovation and then demonstrate the way this broadening conceptualization has affected institutional demands upon universities. Following this, we discuss the implications of the critical junctures on evaluation approaches. We conclude by arguing that different approaches towards innovation have created complex institutional environment for universities to navigate and suggest that implementing more nuanced and customized evaluation schemes aligned to the institutional demands of each critical juncture could help addressing this complexity.

中文翻译：

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欧盟不断变化的创新概念及其对大学的影响：关键时刻和不断变化的制度需求

本文探讨了引发欧盟 (EU) 创新概念化变化的潜在机制、这种变化对欧洲大学制度需求的影响以及对评估程序的影响。我们运用关键时刻的理论概念来探索影响欧盟创新理解以及大学机构期望的重要时期。通过对与创新相关的欧洲政策语料库的分析，我们确定了三个不同的时期，1983-6、1995-2000 和 2008-12，这些时期带来了相当根本的转变，这些转变大大拓宽了对创新的理解，然后展示了这种拓宽概念化的方式影响了对大学的制度要求。按照此，我们讨论关键时刻对评估方法的影响。最后，我们认为不同的创新方法已经为大学创造了复杂的制度环境，并建议实施与每个关键时刻的制度需求相一致的更细致和定制的评估方案可以帮助解决这种复杂性。