university–enterprise cooperation

We would like to suggest that a very important
model of the university-enterprise cooperation
is collaborative research, mobility and
networking through FP7 REGPOT or INCO
projects which are especially devoted to
WBC region or convergence regions.
The primary objectives of enterprises to collaborate
with universities, within these projects,
include research synergies, keeping up with
major technological developments and R&D
cost sharing. The increase in their knowledge
base is the greatest reported benefit of firms
from such collaboration. The fact that one of
the main aims of EU policy for the Framework
Programmes is to achieve a techno-economic
convergence among its regions plays to the
advantage of universities from such regions.
The components of this dimension are improvement
to the enterprises’ technological and organizational
capabilities, exploitation of complementary
resources, new knowledge creation and/or
acquisition, and acceleration of research.
Enterprises may also benefit in terms of
developing or improving new or existing
processes or using sophisticated equipment
at universities (or Centers of Excellence) purchased
through above-mentioned FP7 projects.
Universities and enterprises from Western
Balkan region should collaborate within
specially designed program of European
Union called EUREKA, helping make WB
region economically strong and socially
sound. EUREKA is the leading platform for
R&D-performing entrepreneurs in Europe
and beyond. EUREKA R&D is industry-led,
applied, close-to-market — with tangible
results and visible benefits. EUREKA now
unites over 40 member countries. Together,
they promote international, marketoriented
research and innovation through
introducing new products, processes and
services to market. Results stemming from
EUREKA projects are everywhere, such as:
gsm mobile phone technology; navigation
systems; smartcards to support mobile
and electronic commerce; film special
effects software for cinema; state-of-theart
medical devices and technologies to
monitor and limit environmental pollution.
EUREKA Clusters are long-term, strategically
significant public-private partnerships. Most
of Europe’s leading companies participate
in EUREKA Clusters, developing generic
technologies of key importance to European
competitiveness. EUREKA Umbrellas are
thematic networks that focus on a particular
technology or business sector. Their goal
is to generate and support R&D projects in
their specific field of operation.
EUREKA’s Eurostars Programme is the first
European funding and support programme
to be specifically dedicated to researchperforming
SMEs. Eurostars stimulates them to
lead international collaborative research and
innovation projects. The Eurostars mission is
to support R&D-performing entrepreneurs,
by funding their research activities, enabling
them to compete internationally and become
leaders in their sector.
In the near future, very concrete steps
should to be performed with the aim to build
consortia (including academic and industry
organizations from WBC) in order to prepare
project proposals for EUREKA or Eurostars
programme. This TEMPUS project can be
very good basis to initiate preparing these
proposals and building successful consortia.
6.3.4 Establishment of regional Collaborativetraining
and/or Life-long Learning centres
Establishment of Collaborative Training
Centres (CTCs) at university level, as the
university-enterprise links, can provide
efficient and sustainable cooperation
among the key actors of the knowledge
triangle. Commercialization of R&D results,
innovation and educational services are
main activities of CTCs, developed on the basis
of SWOT analysis and appropriate action plan,
for at least three year. Market activities are
important for visibility of CTCs, and should
include analysis of potential users’ attitudes,
i.e. significant factors that influence the
decision of enterprises and SMEs, unemployed
graduates, to take part in CTC trainings and
use its services. The important activities which
can be undertaken to that purpose are:
• Identification of training and service
needs (TSNA) in the target region of WBC;
• Estimation and categorisation of trainings
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New WBC model of university-enterprise cooperation 6