Which are the methods/instrument that are used by academics in the exchange of information and in communication with the companies?

[Gestão Total]

The workshops' participants have identified the following ideas (causes/effects) related to this theme:

Which qualifications of employees are mostly needed? What is their capacity in terms of number of employers? What is planned for future investments? Which type of practical knowledge is desired in graduated students? What should be the content of training education? The universities should improve the way of making known to the business community, the skills that exist in their research departments, so as the contribution they can make in developing new products and processes, giving this way more visibility to the activities that are pursued, which in most cases are unnoticed by the business and general community.For example, could be promoted initiatives such as: Workshops in collaboration with business associations to publicize the research activities conducted by universities; Implementation of "open days ", in which entrepreneurs could go to the universities, to know their research departments and have a close contact with the activities developed there. Practice and reality internships, projects, articles and publications Information about needs and expectations Sponsoring students in their courses (masters and Phd) Internships in the firms  Better, faster and more effective networking among the academies; Acceleration of R & D processes Enlargement of cooperation networks Awareness of shrinkage to information Easy Access to Top Management Very superficial contact Cooperation platform needed!!! There is no contact between science and business (platforms or organizations are required to facilitate contacts and presentations of offers and expectations). career offices services for enterprises, which collect the needs of enterprises University open days Business incubators Inviting entrepreneurs during the courses to provide their own experience Organisation of particular courses where entrepreneurs take the place of teachers (not particularly diffused in public universities) Organisation of seminars Events organised by public authorities

Common aspects: open days, internships and career offices services represent the most important moments of exchange between universities and businesses. These methods become indirect instruments to catch enterprises needs, to understand which kind of skills they require from students,  how to improve their courses.  Also in this case it would be useful to create platform of exchange in order to facilitate contacts and to present offers and expectation in a direct way.