university–enterprise cooperation

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S&T institutions and other key players
important for S&T policy making, and to
present relevant S&T policies and strategies.
Besides mentioned platform there are
other initiatives and programmes which
are aimed to strengthen scientific potential
of the WBC region, to address strategic
social and economic needs and to facilitate
integration of this region into ERA. The
Southeast-European ERA-NET (SEE-ERA.
NET) has been established in order to promote
R&D cooperation among consortium members
and to contribute to the WBAP implementation. A
number of specific objectives, recommendations
and implementation scenario have been
proposed by SEE-ERA.NET consortium,
described in White paper [86]. Consortium
launched in 2006 a “Regional Programme
for Cooperation with South-East Europe”
(ReP-SEE), and in 2007 proposed Joint
Action Plan, which provide unique
instruments and measurement for enhanced
S&T cooperation with the WBC region [44].
4.1.3 Innovation side
Innovation systems of the WBC are very weak
and fragmented. Weak innovation demand at
enterprise level and weak innovation support
system are the biggest impediment for the
greater contribution of research to growth
and social development. Supporting actions
at national and regional levels are aimed at
developing inter-firm clusters and networks,
enhancing pan-European cooperation among
SMEs. On their road to Europe, the WBCs have
made considerable progress in redressing
their entrepreneurial environment for SMEs.
In most of the WBC, the progress is made by
enabling cheaper and faster start-ups. The
WBC participate in the Chapter for Small
Enterprises [66], which calls on subscribing
parties to undertake economic reforms
in ten policy areas. SMEs’ technological
capacity, essential for competitiveness and
innovation, is slowly being strengthened
in the WBC region. A flexible, knowledgebased
economy requires enhanced levels of
innovation which would clearly be improved
through better and more effective links
between research and development centres
at universities and SMEs. Despite of the
fact that the proportion of population with
tertiary education is comparable with EU25,
there are major weaknesses of WBC relative
to EU, regarding to public R&D expenditure,
number of Science&Engineering graduates,
business R&D investments, participation in
Life-long learning, number of employment
in high-tech manufacturing and services.
The lack of effective links between
knowledge-producers and knowledge-users
constitutes a significant weakness in the
regional innovation system.
Thematic report “Innovation Infrastructures
in the Western Balkan Countries” [38]
deals with the situation of innovation
infrastructures in the WBC countries and gives
overview of established clusters, technology
and innovation centers, technological and
science parks, business-start-up centers/
technology incubators and other related
organizations. The general environment,
important strategic documents and the main
programmes and instruments for support
have also been described.
In addition, within mentioned ReP SEE
programme, study on Innovation absorption
capacity and transnational cooperation
needs in SEE, with particular focus on
the WBC, has been undertaken by Euro
consultants S.A [37] in 2007. This study
presents policies and programmes supporting
innovation (EU, regional, national), list of
main innovation stakeholders in SEE and
WBC, as well as innovation funding sources.
Particular emphasis was put on the analysis of
involvement of SMEs in the innovation process,
their needs, opportunities and barriers.
4.2 Current state and developed
KT structures in the WBC region
This section will briefly present the situation
in the areas that make up the knowledge
triangle – education, research and