Abstract:

University and Business cooperation contributes to a knowledge society and has multiple benefits for both academic and business area. Each part has its motivation, but mutual commitment and common goals facilitate collaboration and foster creativity, innovation and successful outcomes.

By focusing on the EU-funded project ‘North East Meltemi: the breath of the Archipelago’ of the European Programme ‘Nautical Routes for Europe’ of the Executive Agency for Small Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), we reveal how a triple partnership of one University and two Enterprises (SMEs) can felicitously collaborate and respond successfully to the European strategy for blue growth, nautical tourism and sustainable development. This particular triple collaboration will lead to the co-creation of an innovative touristic product.

The MELTEMI project runs from December 2017 until May 2019. During this period, the collaboration and exchange of knowledge among partners is crucial in all work packages as it involves research, action, training and communication.

The two enterprises benefit from the multidisciplinary academic specialists and their research outcomes, as well from their contribution to the development of the staff training methodology and the communication and dissemination strategic and action plan of the project. Students and Academics also benefit from this cooperation, as it is a two-way transfer of knowledge that enhances professional skills and maturity, develops synergies within the professional arena and builds knowledge alliances with businesses.

MELTEMI project is a good practice of bridging the gap between Academia and Businesses. Research is ‘translated’ into innovative and useful products exploited in the blue economy and tourism. Therefore there is mutual interest and profit for both academia and businesses.

Keywords:

University-business, collaboration, training, communication, blue growth, sustainability, tourism, EU-project.