In contrast to industrial policy, though, innovation policy is more directly associated with change, flexibility, dynamism and the future. The approach appears to be especially attractive to policy-makers seeking to understand differences between economies and searching for ways to support technical change and innovation. A systems of innovation perspective on innovation policy can be elaborated by, for example, considering the relation of different types of systems, such as regions and nations, to contemporary phenomena such as the ongoing globalisation of markets and technologies. In both of the second semester specialisations, the introductory courses take the form of modules that are divided between course work and individual work preparatory to selecting, and writing a thesis on, a specific topic. At the outset of the second semester, students are organised into base-groups that will be responsible for organising activities within the programme.
Course work is a mixture of lectures and seminars based on key texts and optional reading.
In addition to instruction within the programme, students have the opportunity to attend research seminars at the department. Various forms of examination are used to gauge students progress, but there is generally a strong emphasis on the development of presentation skills. Students are expected to make formal presentations, both on an individual basis and as members of their base-groups. After completing the introductory modules, students are assigned to individual instructors who are responsible for supervising their work on the Master s thesis. Corresponding readers will be appointed at the students first-semester universities.