Abstract:

Network for Innovative Development, which will provide a wide range of services for supporting innovation in the region, is one of the key outputs of the IPA cross-border project between Hungary and Serbia, carried out under the title “Cross-border Network of Innovative Development and Knowledge Transfer".

Having worked on the project for fourteen months, the project partners opted to organise a innovation network, which was formed and formally established by Consortium Agreement on July 20, 2011. The Consortium is an open one, and can be freely joined by organisations of Triple Helix innovation model, from the sectors of academy (universities, faculties, and scientific institutes), business (profit-making and public organisations and business networks) and government (local, regional and national). In addition to these, the network also comprises intermediaries, NGOs and associations. As well as organisations from the two national networks of Serbia and Hungary, the innovation network can also be joined by organisations characterised by particular regional interest in networking, rather than geographic location.

The goals and tasks for the Consortium for Innovative Development are set very broadly, including: promoting the importance of innovation at regional and national level; strengthening the possibility for international cooperation between innovating organisations; promoting cooperation between innovative organisations at regional and national level; initiating joint projects; coordinating efficient and effective development and implementation of development projects and programmes; building the institutional basis for innovation development; establishing communication channels between innovation networks; researching and developing possibilities in the innovation area; gathering and disseminating information on innovation networks; gathering information on current developments at regional, national and international level; organising courses, seminars and workshops; building and maintaining databases on innovating organisations (structure, contacts, experts, courses, projects etc.).

The article presents the results of the IPA cross-border project, more specifically, the segment of modelling network for innovative development, providing detailed presentations of entities and functions of the formed association, the manner and methods of its functioning, and its significance for enhancing university-industry cooperation in innovative development. Finally, the article presents the future Innovation Centre of the University of Novi Sad, possible directions and challenges in its development and implementation of the Innovative University concept.

Keywords:

Innovation, network, university, cooperation.