IMPROVING COLLABORATION BETWEEN UNIVERSITIES AND INDUSTRY, A MAJOR CHALLENGE FOR ROMANIA

• Main Authors: STELIANA SANDU, IONELA GAVRILA PAVEN
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Academica Brâncuşi 2012-12-01
• Series: Analele Universităţii Constantin Brâncuşi din Târgu Jiu : Seria Economie
• Subjects: university-industry cooperation; knowledge transfer; bridging infrastructure
• Online Access: http://www.utgjiu.ro/revista/ec/pdf/2012-04.II/2_Sandu%20Steliana.pdf

The new economic and technological trajectories, derived from knowledge economy, added new functions („ Third mission”) to those universities have had for a long time and have called them to interact with industry, for reviving and multiplying their creative and innovation forces, for a better addressing to economic and social challenges, and, also, for multiplying their support from business sector. Consequently, different type of direct and indirect, personal and non-personal interactions between universities and business, for reciprocal and mutual benefit, has been set up. The university-industry collaboration is, also, an important element of the strategies and policies at the national and EU levels, contributing to the strengthening of European Research Area and also, to accomplishment of Europe 2020 Strategy goals. Romania has a relative small experience in this area, despite in different strategies have been inserted objectives of increasing intensity of relations between universities and industry. Considering the literature review focused on theoretical and methodological issues and the best European practices, present paper aims to offer a picture of university-industry relations in Romania, the drivers and barriers of their future developing, as well as to depict the main challenges faced to Romanian innovation system in order to accomplish the requirements of EU convergence in research and development.