University in the innovation system academia-industry collaborations and intellectual property rights

In a world where possessing raw materials or manufacturing commodities are not sufficient for long-term economic success, innovativeness and a knowledge-based economy form the basis for prosperity. In this report, we discuss the link between a nation´s higher education system and its ability to bring about and foster innovativeness and economic growth. In particular, we will concentrate on the roles that universities play in the national innovation system. Some of the questions we address include: How strong a link is there between the education system and nation´s innovativeness? How important is industry-academia collaboration? From the perspective of a knowledge-based economy, what would an ideal university be like? To answer these questions, we summarize key findings from the literature. The aim of this report is to present the key factors and decisions that should be considered in future higher education strategies.