Abstract:

The smart city concept has been widely spread during the last decades, and every day more and more cities, districts or local communities call themselves smart cities. Despite the smart cities boom, most of them dedicate themselves to the technological aspect of being smart and do not dig in deep to create prerequisites for the development of the smartness of smart city actors. Comprehensive collaboration between smart city developers/governments and educational institutions is essential to enable the learning ecosystem, where new and innovative ideas can constantly grow and keep the Smart City viable.

Ülemiste Smart City is home to about 500 companies, most of which are international and have multicultural staff. These companies are dedicated to lifelong learning and innovation and constantly seek opportunities to develop their staff and cooperate with educational institutions. The total R&D investment of the companies in Ülemiste City is at least 11 billion euros annually. A survey conducted in Ülemiste City showed that a significant share of companies (approximately 50%) cooperate with universities. The example of Ülemiste City is suitable proof that informed and supported university-industry cooperation is a necessary part of the concept of a smart city and should be systematically integrated into the principles of a smart city.

The article aims to conceptualize the role and importance of university-industry collaboration in developing a Smart City. The article links and discusses how the university-industry collaboration principles work in the context of a smart city and enable the city to become and stay viable and the industry to be successful and act sustainable in the long run.

Keywords:

University - industry collaboration, smart city, quadruple helix.