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Lukasz Wojtusiak

NHL University of Applied Sciences

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Universities as hubs for local business innovation

Incubators/ accelerator Universities

Schools have tremendous knowledge and capable students and teachers that are willing to help on real life problems that start-ups and companies face. Is it possible to connect the companies or ideas with a school to form a long term integral solution for the company, institute and students?


In my current opinion i am slightly biased since i am working on this project from a university perspective, and am not sure if a more global expansion is relevant for other regions, institutes and students. There for i wanted to hear thought on the concept from the great TED crowd.

For students it should offer:
- Better assignments
- Better internships
- Better knowledge
- Better research questions.
- Better guidance.
- Better job market potential.

For teachers it would offer:
- Better research projects for their own curriculum and knowledge in the institute.
- More involvement with Live companies instead of theories.
- Better commitment to the projects and groups.

For the institute it would offer:
- Integral long term relations with local industries.
- Better Quality of education for students
- More internal development of knowledge
- Ability to specialize towards the market demands

For the company:
- A Innovative partner in business development
- A one stop shop for research, interns and creative dialogue over multiple disciplines.
- A long term relation with a single peer instead of many.

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    Mateusz Jaszak 10+

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    TED Translator
    Dec 23 2012: It seems to me, that german universities work closely with industry-a model worth using. I recommend this article from Scientific American: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=us-could-learn-germany-high-tech-manufacturing

    Pozdrowienia z Polski

  • Austin Rinehart

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    Dec 17 2012: I think it really great idea of developing relationships between big companies and top universities. But who will pay for it?

    • Lukasz Wojtusiak

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      Dec 18 2012: Since the value is generated for the businesses they should invest in it as they do in consultancy. Other than that schools have the internal resources as teachers (and off course the students) on the payroll which can adjust their program to have a more practical and relevant approach to the real life problems of companies from their field of expertise.
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    Salim Solaiman 50+

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    Dec 16 2012: It's there but the other way around...........business innovations goes to university curriculum after being proven to be successful.......


    Just take the example of Case based studies as proof.....

    • Lukasz Wojtusiak

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      Dec 18 2012: this would be the big goal of the university to generate this kind of knowledge and insights, my idea would be to have the incentive come from companies. Are you aware of any examples of how collaborations with the university led to large scale business innovation?
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    pat gilbert 100+

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    Dec 16 2012: That already occurs?

    Look at the business around good schools Standford and Silicon Valley, Mit and the Boston area, USC and South Central LA, etc.

    • Lukasz Wojtusiak

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      Dec 18 2012: Thank you for giving a few great examples. These schools have the possibility to get the best experts that raise the value for the companies. This makes a model as theirs less useful for smaller university.

      My idea would be to create a system in which the internal resources are arranged differently to create the value needed. First step is to create field experts which have teachers of specific relevant subjects in their circles and together with them the students. Through the use of a hierarchy the expert is able to sign of for every product created by their circles. (thus increase the value of it)

      This way it would be a more transparent product that offers more quantity instead of the quality that is offered by the big universities on long term.
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        pat gilbert 100+

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        Dec 18 2012: My thinking is that this sort of thing has to be organic and from the bottom up.
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