5th generation universities will be very diverse in their size, socioeconomic context, geography, and sphere of influence. Some will be internationally well-known Russell Group (UK) or Ivy League (US) research-intensive universities. Others will be academic institutions in other parts of the world, both in the Global North and in the Global South, that may be very focused on excellence in teaching rather than predominantly research. What unites such universities, however, will be an integration of their core activities with operations focused on transformation, innovation and positive change. To achieve this, they will be highly collaborative, forming robust partnerships across sectors, including with industry, to achieve the 17 UN SDGs and create a better world for everyone, such as addressing the existential threat posed by climate change.

In this book we have developed the theory and practice of a new type of digitally enabled and agile university that is starting to emerge on the world stage. Currently we are only seeing aspects of the 5th generation university among a small but diverse group of institutions. It is our hope that academic institutions in the future will become even more inclusive, relevant and effective at tackling the biggest challenges facing humanity. They will utilise all the levers of influence within their quintuple helix of alliances, including with industry, government and civil society, bringing about positive change to their environment.

Academic leaders with foresight should recognise the importance of enduring, trusted and impactful university–industry partnerships that enable them to achieve far more together than they could ever do on their own. They will empower their staff, including both academic and non-academic KE practitioners, to be industry-aware and to demonstrate how the university’s work makes a positive contribution to society. As part of achieving the academic mission, they will explore how to develop ‘Professors of Practice’ who can help to integrate industry insights and entrepreneurial understanding into their teaching programmes.

University–industry partnerships will form in an increasingly accelerated period, thanks to the advancement of digital collaboration technologies effectively used by all parties globally. 5th generation universities will also have a deeper understanding of the skills needed to develop, implement and lead alliances that move quickly beyond the transactional towards the transformational.