Abstract:

In the context of Europe 2020 Strategy smart growth is strongly linked with research/innovation in order to combine public and private investment in order to create a better environment for research, development and innovation processes. One of the key aspect (at the EU level but mainly at the country level) is reinforced of universities collaboration with actors of the business environment, particular with industry. This will support innovation and will positive affect all the European targets of the Vision 2020. Beside the European Commission’s strategy, there is seen intuitively, the encouragement and support for new, innovative business models, that include cooperation and collaboration of different stakeholders (as universities, public or private research institutions, business entities, authorities, education and research foundations or non-government organizations etc.). Initiatives have been taken and implemented at the European and national levels in order to accelerate innovation effects in practice. Many government policies support collaboration between the three worlds that were once very separate: the private and public research, business and/or industrial partners (as a structure for smart growth) and education actors. All three, can cover virtuous circles to produce successful innovations. In this context, universities have extended their traditional roles or primary functions of education and research, to new one; entrepreneurship university or the knowledge based university are new approaches that give a new meaning and content to the traditional education role. They have change also, their business models on doing research and valorizing the related results.