University Third Mission as an Organisational and Political Field: Evidence from Three Case Studies in Italy

The chapter analyses empirically University Third Mission (UTM) using a conmbination of organisational field concept drawn from new institutionalism along with Bourdieu's social field. UTM is not just a set of activities but an emerging area of institutional life characterized by institutions, actors, relationships, activitie, agendas and struggles. The empirical analysis is based on a multiple case study on three Northern Italy public universities, in order to highlight the UTM structuration and institutionalisation processes.