university–enterprise cooperation

connections with the economy, and creating
a framework for successful cooperation
through the offices of science, transfer
of technology and innovation, as well as
science and technology parks.
4.2.2.1 State institutions, strategies and
programs
Ministry of Science, Education and Sports – MSES
(http://public.mzos.hr/Default.aspx?sec=2428)
has launched a Croatian project of
technology development which supports
the Croatian economy through a variety of
programs whose purpose is the improvement
of the system of science, scientific
infrastructure, encouragement of academic
entrepreneurship and the development of
stimulative envi-ronment for development
and growth based on the knowledge of
established enterprises. Science and
technology politics of the Republic of
Croatia 2006 – 2010, and Action Plan 2007
- 2010. for a more specific determination
of the implementation priorities are
a key instrument in the restructuring,
development and modernization of science
and technology in Croatia. The result of the
Action plan is also the establishment of
the Council for the National Innovation
System with the task to consolidate
measures aimed at the establishment and
implementation of the National Innovation
System - NIS within the MSES.
Following the guidelines adopted by the
Government of the Republic of Croatia, the
program “Encouraging entrepreneurship
based on innovation and new technologies”
was launched in May 2006, which is one of
five sub-programs whose implementation
is entrusted to the Croatian Business
innovation center - BICRO Ltd. These
programs are RAZUM, TEHCRO, VENCRO,
IRCRO and KONCRO, each aimed at financing
different categories of users, and designed in
such a way to complete one another in the
process of financing innovative technology
projects, and thus raise the competitiveness
of domestic enterprises and products,
and create other conditions necessary for
successful knowledge transfer.
The Business Innovation Center of
Croatia Ltd. – BICRO (www.bicro.hr/en) is a
specialized agency of the Ministry of science,
education and sports, founded by the
Government of Republic of Croatia in 1998.
in order to implement government support
programs to technological development
and to act as the central institution for
the development and improvement of
innovation and technological system. The
clearest idea of what BICRO represents is
reflected in its mission, which is a successful
and effective support to technological
development and commercialization of
research results by linking economy with
science and by creating financial, material
and other conditions for existing and newly
established trade companies in order to
increase competitiveness or introduce new
products and services, and make the public
aware of the value of knowledge, innovation
and new technologies, and the importance of
encouraging the creation of venture capital
and public-private partnership. Its vision is
to establish BICRO as a key organization in
the national innovation system whose basic
role is the development and implementation
of state support so as to strengthen
technological development as a driver of
sustainable economic growth of the country.
The Government of Republic of Croatia
established in March 2006. the Croatian
Institute of Technology Ltd. – HIT
(www.hit.hr) with the aim to become the
central institution of the Croatian technology
network. HIT provides support and directs
the Croatian development and technology
research, monitors and anticipates global
technology trends, advises and provides
support in matters of intellectual property
and technology transfer, provides support
and promotes participation in European
research and development projects, and
to promote the Croatian technological
production and research-development
potential on a global level. HIT’s mission
is to develop and implement programs
and projects for the functional linking of
scientific and research resources with other
parts of the social economic system, which
will create conditions for the emergence of
new technologies and innovations in the
47
Current state in the WBC region 4