Overcoming Barriers to University-Industry Cooperation with a Focus on the Information and Communications Technology Sector — the Czech Experience

Abstract

Encouraging the active involvement of academic institutions in innovation processes should be a society-wide priority, as should be the utilization of universities as the prime sources of knowledge and innovation. Unless this is accomplished, the Czech Republic will be hard-pressed to remain competitive and keep pace with the development of the world economy. This problem is not specific to just the Czech Republic, however, as many countries within the European Union (EU), as well as other industrialized nations like the USA and Japan, face similar challenges. Indeed, with the growing demands imposed by globalization and the so-called knowledge economy, these countries seek various solutions for how to effectively utilize their universities as sources of innovation, while taking into account the specifics of local conditions (Shane, 2004; Wright et al, 2007).