Barriers at the Interface Between Companies and Universities

The interface between Universities and SMEs was perceived by many as creating barriers rather than creating value in the key areas where clusters are expected to generate shared value. It includes surprising evidence of the difficulties faced by companies in collaboration with academic organisations with very different aims, goals and modus operandi, and highlights the pressing need for more practice-based, collaborative and cross-disciplinary research to meet the real demands of a sector in urgent need of answers. In terms of innovation—the area where Universities typically claim to contribute to the economy, significant difficulties in aligning the different needs of both parties was seen, combined with a lack of targeted funding for research-active SMEs testing new concepts or seeking to commercialise these. This section also highlights a cross-cutting concern about the lack of appropriate skills and professional development in the sector as a real constraint to companies and the development of the cluster. The chapter points to the need for policymakers to create the conditions at this critical interface, for clusters to create value.