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Universities not only serve as leaders in research (Dhillon et al., 2008; Gulbrandsen & Slipersæter, 2007), science, and education, but they also have a powerful influence on the development of the municipality, city, and country to which they belong (Meerman et al., 2018; Philpott et al., 2011). Their economic, social, and educational impact is essential (de Jong & Balaban, 2022; Valero & Van Reenen, 2019). This study presents multiple decades of combined industry collaboration experience in the literature findings to form a comprehensive view and model. We present practical challenges and other ways to achieve effective cooperation in the university–industry context. There is extensive practical material, and researchers pay great attention to developing collaboration models between universities, enterprises, and the government. Classical models created at the turn of the 21st century include Henry Etzkowitz’s triple helix model (Cai & Etzkowitz, 2020; Etzkowitz & Leydesdorff, 2000) and Burton Clark’s entrepreneurial university model (Clark, 1998). The triple helix model, which has absorbed the experience of entrepreneurship, is characterized by the high financial autonomy of universities and indirect control by the government.
On the contrary, Clark’s entrepreneurial university model is based on the experience of cooperation between universities and businesses. The model places the researcher in the context of a continental model of higher education with various forms of government participation. Various models have emerged to facilitate effective collaboration between these two sectors: university and industry. The triple helix model, emphasizing the interdependence of academia, industry, and government, underscores the significance of collaborative efforts among these entities in advancing innovation and regional development (Cai & Etzkowitz, 2020; Etzkowitz & Leydesdorff, 2000). The open innovation model encourages exchanging ideas and resources between organizations, promoting a culture of shared innovation and co-creation (Chesbrough, 2003). Technology transfer offices (TTOs) are critical in managing intellectual property and facilitating technology transfer from academic institutions to industrial partners (Geiger, 2005), acting as intermediaries to ensure a smooth transition from research to commercialization. Collaborative research centers (CRCs) focus on fostering long-term partnerships between universities and industries, often backed by governmental funding, to address complex challenges and stimulate breakthrough innovations (Zucker & Darby, 2007).
However, the increasing speed of knowledge renewal, the development of digitalization, and changes in the interactions between universities, businesses, and the government encourage the creation of new business models that meet modern requirements (Li, 2020; Rachinger et al., 2018). One of the most theoretically severe constructions is the concept of the ecosystem of university–business cooperation (UBC), created by a group of researchers led by Galán-Muros and Devey (Galan-Muros & Davey, 2019). This concept served as the theoretical basis for a project to analyze the state of interaction between universities and business in Europe, implemented under the auspices of the European Commission in 2016-2017 (Meerman et al., 2018). Figure 1 presents the framework of the ecosystem of university-business cooperation. The distinctive features of Galan-Muros and Devey’s approach are the maximum development of all possible types of cooperation between universities and commercial companies within the framework of four directions—education, research, commercialization, and management (resource sharing). The central place in the model is occupied by a step-by-step description of the cooperation process between universities and businesses, providing additional opportunities for analytics and operationalization. The key elements of the model are inputs (human, financial, and physical resources), activities (14 types of joint activities in the field of education, research, and valorization), outcomes (outputs, outcomes, and impacts), supporting mechanisms (policy, strategic, structural, and operational mechanisms), and context and circumstances (barriers, drivers, and environment) (Galan-Muros & Davey, 2019).