Promoting exchange between universities and companies with the Crosscience Initiative
Science has long been more than just conducting research in a quiet chamber: Results should be made available to others in order to present the research as effectively as possible. Even the exchange between prospective scientists is important. The Crosscience Initiative works with both public and private universities in Kosovo, particularly their computer science and engineering departments. Its aim is to promote innovation and improve partnerships and cooperation with the private sector in order to foster a closer relationship between academia and industry.
A major problem is the insufficient level of research and development (R&D) in organisations and countries, partly due to limited access to and transfer of existing academic research. The process of bringing innovative solutions developed by students and professors to the market requires support structures that not all universities can provide. In the absence of such support structures, the motivation to allocate resources to research decreases and there is a tendency to focus more on education instead.
The Crosscience Initiative has three main components:
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Creating a talent pool and matching students with internship and job opportunities.
Target groups:
- Micro: Students, Professors, Experts
- Meso: Universities, Companies
- Macro: ICT Research and Innovation Ecosystem
Implementation:
The project takes place between all universities – given the societal factors and governance perspectives. However, an intermediary coordinating entity, such as an association or non-government organization (NGO) would facilitate action and eliminate communication silos. The student incubation programme would be best implemented with an innovation centre if the coordinating association does not have the corresponding internal capacities.