Towards university-business cooperation: Key drivers, barriers and modes

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this paper is to review the international evidence on the possible modes of university-business cooperation (UBC), analyse its main drivers, and identify barriers on the path of turning academia towards practice. Research Design & Methods: This work represents a synthesis of systematic reviews, peer-reviewed reports, individual empirical journal articles, predominantly published in the last ten years. Supplementary, a case study has been applied to present the project dedicated to UBC that has been run at the University of Szczecin. Findings: The literature synthesis has revealed several crucial insights on the factors that facilitate or hinder university-business cooperation. Most of the studies highlight the importance of trustful relationships, that positively impact all cooperation activities. Moreover, all examined projects address the benefits for students and alumni of turning academia into practice. On the other hand, the review identified several barriers on the path of UBC development, focusing on connections, funding, organizational culture and internal characteristics. Contribution & Value Added: The contribution here is opening the mind concerning the possible modes of university-business cooperation, the barriers that need to be overcome and key drivers that stimulate the transfer of knowledge. The presented overview may be useful for improving educational policy, forming a higher education institutions’ strategy, and making managerial decisions in HEIs, especially in the emerging markets.

Keywords

• university-business cooperation
• entrepreneurial university
• innovation systems
• competitiveness
• higher education sector