A three-dimensional evaluation of the importance of results from the interaction between academia and business: approbation at the State Agrarian University of Moldova

Abstract

The paper presents the methodology and empirical approbation of a study, focused on the topic of elaboration of a sustainable four-dimensional ecosystem for fostering entrepreneurial mindset and attitudes to start-up creation among young people at the level of university education. The central point of this construct is the university as a higher educational institution (HEI) that is interconnected with three other stakeholder groups – young people, e.g. students, business entities that play an important role in the local end regional economy, and society from local and regional perspective. The outcomes from defining the importance of the major results from interaction between academia and business could be used to support the adaptation of the curricula and the general educational methodologies in the universities in order to stimulate the innovation skills of students and teachers toward a stronger local business capacity. This is also in line with the HEInnovate tool for self-assessment of entrepreneurial universities. The approach is tested within the activities of the project „ReSTART - Reinforce entrepreneurial and digital skills of students and teachers to enhance the modernization of higher education in MOLDOVA”, funded under the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union. The pilot study was implemented at the State Agrarian University of Moldova in October 2019 and the methodology and the major results are published for the first time in this article.