How to remain competitive with the help of universities?

Pärnu Leadership Conference 2017 “Cooperation and competition” took place on 18.-19.05.2017.

“Cooperation between universities and companies is very much the foundation for the continued competitiveness of society,” said Tammeaid, enterpreneur and innovation manager. Universities can be of great help to entrepreneurs, with whom to develop their products and services, increase competitiveness, and solve strategic bottlenecks and challenges for the company as well as for the general public. Research institutions can also benefit from the cooperation. Erik Puura, the Vice-Rector for Development of the University of Tartu.

From a small pond to the wide world

According to Puura, cooperation opportunities between companies and research organisations are mainly divided into two bigger groups. The first group relates to development projects, which meet the wishes of the company, transfer of research and development results, consultations and analysis services. “The other includes new personnel for the company, trainees and training courses,” Puura explained.

According to Tammeaid, cooperation with universities is also an excellent place for creating contacts in an increasingly globalising competition; i.e., in addition to focusing on a specific research project, the cooperation process may also bring the entrepreneur together with important local key individuals. “Let us, for example, take a smaller or medium-sized Estonian company, who deals with some complex technology and wants to find cooperation solutions with the automobile or aeronautics industry. Cooperation with a university may lead much closer to the decision-makers and giants of the aeronautics industry than classic export support programmes,” he clarified.

Read more: http://www.konverentsid.ee/juhtimine/2017/04/25/kuidas-ulikoolide-abiga-karmis-konkurentsis-pusida