Science–Business Relations in the Opinion of University Employees. Expectations Versus Reality

Abstract

The aim of this article is finding out, based on the obtained empirical data from an opinion poll carried out among the employees of the University of Wrocław, in what way and in what scope cooperation with entrepreneurs (business) takes place on the individual level and on the level of a university. The obtained responses served the purpose of analysis and diagnosis of the level and potential of cooperation between the scientific-didactic personnel, including doctoral students and the economic environment. Key factors stimulating and hampering cooperation were defined. The intermediate goal was to find out, whether in light of the expressed opinions a university is still perceived as a place for carrying out goals typical of a 2nd generation, Humboldt-type university, or whether the features of a creative 3rd generation1 university can be seen. 3rd generation university is focused more on cooperation with the external environment and an exchange of resources. By means of the theory of rational choice two hypotheses were formulated and confirmed: first of all, university employees cooperate with entrepreneurs bypassing the university and the second thing is that cooperation with business is above all a source of individual benefits and is assessed as good. The survey was carried out among the employees of the University of Wrocław in the first half of 2018.

Keywords

• university personnel
• reform of higher education
• science-business relations
• intersectoral cooperation