The presence and role of supporting mechanisms on university entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship has been increasingly recognised for its role in creating jobs and growth within an economy as well as a means of increasing the competitiveness of a region, state or country (Maes, 2003; European Commission, 2006; Zahra, 1991). Centrally important to the increasing prominence of entrepreneurship has been the importance of the role of HEIs in stimulating entrepreneurship (Etzkowitz, 1998). At the same time, the perceived role of HEIs, has taken a dramatic shift over the last few decades. HEIs have had their roles focussed to a greater extent on the need to contribute to society in a more meaningful way through knowledge and technology creation and transfer / exchange (see proceedings from UNISO 2002- 2004). These movements have given rise to new models of HEI engagement in entrepreneurship including the concept of the entrepreneurial university and academic entrepreneurship. HEIs are seen especially as having a crucial role in fostering entrepreneurship, as they can encourage entrepreneurship in three different ways. First, HEIs as institutions of higher education can encourage students by providing entrepreneurial training and support structures (Lüthje and Franke, 2002). Second, HEIs as institutions of research can transfer knowledge and technologies to industry. Literature refers to this commercialisation of research competencies, capacities and results as the university's ‘third mission' (Etzkowitz et al, 2000). Third, universities can bring people together through structures and activities in order to create new business either through networks or project interaction. All of this entrepreneurial activity within the HEI is supported through HEI strategies and framework conditions. Whilst these models and theories provide a general theoretical construct for understanding entrepreneurship within HEIs, there are few studies that measure the extent of entrepreneurial undertakings by HEIs together with the development of mechanisms that support entrepreneurial activity within the HEI including strategies, structures and approaches, activities and framework conditions. Using data from the largest European study into university-business cooperation, the paper aims to fill this gap by determining the extent of development of the supporting mechanisms that are in place for entrepreneurship in European HEIs. A further analysis will review the supporting mechanisms that are in place for the best performing HEIs in entrepreneurship against those performing at a low level.