Entrepreneurial university (PDF)

Entrepreneurial university emerges where universities have to perform teaching, research and contributing to the regional economy simultaneously. One of the most important mechanisms that universities have to generate and transfer value to society is the creation of new enterprises by research faculty. Specifically, the creation of academic spin-offs is the most visible form of innovation and technology transfer aimed at the commercialization of research. Academic spin-offs have relevant importance to reach a region high level of innovation and economic growth. However, one of the main challenges for researchers is to identify factors that affect universities' ability to generate spin-offs and their effects on the whole region development. Scholars are increasingly interested in factors affecting academic spin-offs around the world positioning entrepreneurial university at the intersection between several research domains such as management, geography, and economy. Thus, recent debates have widened the scope from purely business development to broader issues of sustaining innovation ecosystems, governance, geography, citizens' involvement and strategic planning. Moreover, the role of the university is debated in view of the tension between the global ranking focus of university management and the time and resources required for local engagement.