02/10/2012 - Campustalks #14 Engine of innovation: the entrepreneurial university

While the focus of universities used to be mainly on research and education, today’s interest is broadened to cover society’s necessities and to transform knowledge into economically interesting products. By implementing entrepreneurial skills in curricula, universities establish a competitive environment that stimulates business development and the creation of spin-offs. As technical innovation has become the main force for competitiveness and as universities are getting more recognized as the motors for innovation, it seems that the collaboration between industry and universities can create a win-win situation for both. It allows universities to target their research to society’s actual needs, and industry to have direct access to the most recent high-level research.