The KnowHub project will reconnect universities and enterprises in the Western Balkans to support the development of innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem through knowledge transfer. This cooperation will sustain and further grow the research and practical teaching capacities of the targeted universities, will increase the international competitiveness of the enterprises and will provide students with practical experience enhancing their (self)employability. This will be achieved through setting-up of Commercialisation Hubs at the European University of Tirana and University of Vlora in Albania, University of Sarajevo and University of Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina and at the University of Montenegro. The Hubs will join knowledge, resources and infrastructure from different university units and centres serving as a one-stop-shop for cooperation with industry. Each Hub’s placement, strategy, business plan and portfolio of instruments will be tailor-made to the needs and capacities of the universities from the project. This will enhance the full potential of each university and the Hubs’ sustainability. Within the scope of this project the Hubs and the Partner Country Universities (PCUs) will develop capacities in Rapid Prototyping and Lean Manufacturing through study visits and trainings, as well as peer-mentoring from the EU universities. At least15 enterprises will be engaged in university-enterprise cooperation projects including more than15 professors and 45 students. The project will also develop the Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I&E) capacities at the PCUs. Academic staff will be trained (≥25 professors) in order to increase both the commercialisation of research through entrepreneurial activities (start-ups and spin-offs) and to embed I&E topics and skills into (≥25) technical courses. The first generation of (≥50) students active in the Hubs will be trained on STEM Bootcamp increasing their (self)employability.
1. To analyse know. trans., inno.&entrepre infrastructure&activities at the PCUs in the national ecosystems 2. To set-up and equip 5 Commercialisation Hubs - one-stop-shops for commercialization (of research and entre ideas)3. To develop capacities, services & instruments of the Hubs 4. To increase join activities between PCUs &local enterprises 5. To increase students’ (self)employability through experience and practical training6. To train academic staff & to implement EntreEdu
University-industry cooperation in ALB, BIH, and MNE was disrupted in the 1990s. Challenges include limited awareness of university capacities, bureaucratic burdens, and infrastructure gaps, causing GDP and R&D investments much below the EU average. All their strategic documents (institutional to national) stress innovation and knowledge transfer, as key aspect for development and catching up. This project addresses the need for sustainable academia-industry collaboration.
<< Background >> University-industry cooperation in ALB, BIH, and MNE was disrupted in the 1990s. Challenges include limited awareness of university capacities, bureaucratic burdens, and infrastructure gaps, causing GDP and R&D investments much below the EU average. All their strategic documents (institutional to national) stress innovation and knowledge transfer, as key aspect for development and catching up. This project addresses the need for sustainable academia-industry collaboration. << Objectives >> 1. To analyse know. trans., inno.&entrepre infrastructure&activities at the PCUs in the national ecosystems 2. To set-up and equip 5 Commercialisation Hubs - one-stop-shops for commercialization (of research and entre ideas)3. To develop capacities, services & instruments of the Hubs 4. To increase join activities between PCUs &local enterprises 5. To increase students’ (self)employability through experience and practical training6. To train academic staff & to implement EntreEdu << Implementation >> Research, constant communication, and capacity building, for establishment of commercialization hubs, collaboration with enterprises, and engagement of stakeholders. Executed with efficiency, collaboration, and a strong focus on sustainability Main challenges:-COVID-19 (cancelled travels and supply chains interruption), and -the rough transition of the management at Uni Mostar.After the adjustments the project impact benefited from both. << Results >> - Report of the situation of the knowledge transfer and innovation at the PCUs and nationally- 5 Commercialization Hubs established, equipped, staffed and trained + business and activity plan & portfolio of instruments and services developed and piloted with local enterprises - 53 students trained in Bootcamp in Girona; >60 students experienced work company projects;- 24 academic staff trained on Entre Edu; >200 students trained with the updated Entre Edu teaching methods and materials