Abstract:

An efficient combination of entrepreneurship, research and education is a prerequisite for the growth of competitiveness in modern economy. Innovations based on science and knowledge are created by skilled individuals and most often implemented by the private sector, which gives them space and conditions to expand. Providing graduates with 4.0 competences is therefore an essential step in creating innovations and in establishing an enduring cooperation between the world of education and business.

In this paper authors will address both issues – how to evaluate universities’ abilities to provide environment necessary to develop 4.0 competences among their students and how to measure the current state of collaboration between the world of education (represented by higher education institutions) and the world of business (represented mostly by the private sector).

In the first part of the paper, authors will focus on the digital transformation in higher education institutions and how to measure whether universities provide sufficient environment for the development of 4.0 competences, which are here limited to technical competences; cognitive competences and social competences. In order to verify this a certification system was established and addresses universities that wish to be labelled as universities educating for the future which aim to bridge the existing gap between the world of education and the needs coming from the world of business. This Standard certification system is based on evaluating of the following areas: curriculum; internal ecosystem at a university; cooperation with an external ecosystem; teaching staff and infrastructure at a university. The Standard provides and defines detailed criteria for each element mentioned above, as well as indicators that measure the fulfilment of these criteria which will be presented in the paper.

Furthermore, in order to better understand the state of university-business cooperation the Index of Higher Education - Business Engagement (HEBE Index) was created – a measure which may be used as an universal diagnostic tool. The HEBE Index allows to identify drivers and obstacles to this cooperation and to inspire the new activities which may result in boosting the university-business cooperation and therefore increase the country’s innovativeness. The HEBE Index covers five areas of university activities, such as research and development, mobility, improving the educational offer, commercial activities and public engagement. Although it is composed of 184 indicators in total and is characterized by a high level of complexity and multidimensionality, the HEBE Index is a very flexible and adjustable tool which may be used as one standard model framework for different national contexts.

Finally, the authors will summarize the core assumptions of the two approaches – the HEBE Index and the Standard in developing the competences of the future for universities, along with some possible further applications for both tools. The authors will also explain the link between the role of universities in promoting 4.0 competences and university-business collaboration.

Keywords:

University-Industry Cooperation, competences 4.0, digital transformation, measurement tool.