This thesis presents a study of the ‘Entrepreneurial University’. It develops a framework for conceptualising the entrepreneurial university by interrogating literature and secondary sources. Regardless of the increasing body of literature on the entrepreneurial university concept, it is revealed to be under-theorized. This literature starting from Clark’s initiatives up until recent publications focus on case studies which are not analytically driven. This gap in the theory of the entrepreneurial university inspired the study aim, which is to develop an analytical framework that can be used as a tool to identify ‘The Entrepreneurial University’ from any other ‘classic university. The study argues that there are three main aspects affecting universities' transformation toward entrepreneurial organization. These are: organization, external environment, and the interaction between organization and external environment. The first aspect investigates the entrepreneurial organizational dimensions, with a comprehensive framework of five organizational dimensions namely managerial, funding resource, mission, external collaboration, and cultural dimension. This been developed as a ‘compass’ to characterize two ideal types of entrepreneurial university. The second and third aspects address the concepts of the entrepreneurial environment and the coherence between the entrepreneurial organization and the entrepreneurial environment where the university exists. The concept of National Education, Research and Innovation (ERI) Funding and Policy Spaces (NERI-FPS) (Nedeva et.al 2013) has been selected as the most appropriate framework for characterizing the entrepreneurial coherence, and analyzed for this purpose, where the variety of opportunities and flexible selection process are seen to be the key elements for the coherence between them. This adds a new development to the theory. Both the entrepreneurial framework and the NERI-FPS have been tested using four European case universities, from the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The framework is applied to the universities and policy environment in Oman as an example of a developing country seeking to use entrepreneurship as a solution to socio-economic problems. Using qualitative analysis of documentation and detailed interviews, the framework is shown to reveal characteristics of the universities which can be used to develop policy actions. The results reveal that Omani universities are “classic” universities. However, to shift toward an entrepreneurial approach, five scenarios are suggested for Oman, and a pathway toward fully-fledged entrepreneurial universities is illustrated. First an online survey served as a pilot study, the results of which were then used to formulate the second stage which was semi- structured interviews with two Omani universities, and the third stage was in-depth interviews with Omani policy makers. This approach improves the internal validity of the research, and provides a rich picture of the universities and their environment. Finally, the study provides a framework which characterises entrepreneurial universities along a number of context-neutral dimensions which could take the research forward. The novelty of using case of Oman as an empirical study added new contribution into the field. In addition, this study contributes to a better understanding of policy actions with regard to entrepreneurial transformation.

This case study features an exploratory investigation involving capability development among technologically oriented student entrepreneurs within the University of Ottawa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Utilization took place of a mixed methods approach involving a survey of student entrepreneurs, interviews with facilitators and student entrepreneurs, and secondary data where possible. This mixed methods approach was necessary to collect a ‘thickness’ of data to justify a case study research design, including a check for robustness such as to demonstrate ‘trustworthiness’ of the data. Unique insights build on existing literature to offer a contribution to knowledge. Although the university ecosystem offered varied supporting mechanisms, perceived barriers also existed. Moreover, invariably the development of threshold rather than dynamic capabilities took place. Implications for practitioners follow from the theoretical contributions in order to facilitate a more effective university entrepreneurial ecosystem. In particular, a need exists to enhance the development of capabilities that build traction and scalability.

The interaction between University, industry and Government is the key to innovation and growth in a knowledge-based economy. In this environment, intensifies the need for interaction U-and generating mutual benefits for the actors involved in the process. Technology transfer manifests itself as an alternative for companies to promote innovation and universities obtain additional sources of funds for research . Given thiscontext, this paper seeks toanalyse the characteristics of the University, industry interaction and the main contributions to the development of research groups at the Federal University of Santa Maria. Theoretical review on the interaction University, industry, triple helix, modalities, motivators, enablers and barriers of this process have contribued to theoretical subsidies to the basement of the research. Were surveyed the 38 groups that have projects of Inteinteraction with industry, according to the 2010 census CNPq. For its implementation, were obtained evidence from quantitative research, bibliographic research and the pfield search (survey) with the application of a questionnaire by the research groups. It was noted that most researchers in the broad area of CNPq of agronomical Sciences, in the field of Agronomy, predominantly male aged between 46 and 50 years and are crowded in Rural Sciences Center . Workin Federal University of Santa Maria for at least three decades and in the activity of professor researcher on average for 15 years, possess Postdoctoral and Fellowship of CNPq productivity Predominate thespecific interactions and sporadic, of medium complexity technological content and the flow of knowledge is basically the research groups for the industry. The Research Groupwas worth the potential for application of the results of their research and follows the career of the graduates, assigning great importance to activities related to contribution to the advancement of scientific knowledge, solid academic and professional training of undergraduates, training of high-level people of specialisation (Masters/PhD), developing cutting-edge research at the frontier of knowledge, development of research that contribute to sustainability, development of research that contribute to solve problems in the region, publication of research results in high-impact journals and the recognition of the Group's research work by their peers. The financing of research is due in large part to funding agencies, such as FAPERGS, CNPq, CAPES and FINEP, the resources of the University itself and industry represent a very small portion. Most of the groups did not use public funding for innovative activities. The research groups still do not realize how high intensity contributions arising from interaction with industry. The bureaucracy has been the greatest difficulty in approval of projects and interaction. / A interação entre universidade, empresa e governo é a chave para a inovação e o crescimento em uma economia baseada no conhecimento. Nesse ambiente, intensifica-se a necessidade de interação Universidade-Empresa, gerando benefícios mútuos para os atores envolvidos no processo. A transferência de tecnologia manifesta-se como uma alternativa para as empresas promoverem a inovação e para as universidades obterem fontes complementares de recursos para a pesquisa. Considerando esse contexto, este trabalho visa analisar as características da interação Universidade-Empresa e as principais contribuições para o desenvolvimento dos grupos de pesquisa na Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. A revisão teórica sobre a interação Universidade-Empresa, hélice tripla, modalidades, motivadores, facilitadores e barreiras deste processo contribuíram com subsídios teóricos para o embasamento da pesquisa. Foram pesquisados os 38 grupos que possuem projetos de interação com empresas, conforme dados do censo CNPq 2010. Para a sua execução, foram obtidas evidências a partir de pesquisa quantitativa, pesquisa bibliográfica e a pesquisa de campo (survey) com a aplicação de questionário junto aos grupos de pesquisa. Constatou-se que a maioria dos pesquisadores atua na grande área do CNPq das Ciências Agrárias, na área de Agronomia, predominando o gênero masculino na faixa etária entre 46 e 50 anos e estão lotados no Centro de Ciências Rurais. Trabalham na Universidade Federal de Santa Maria há, pelo menos, três décadas e, na atividade de professor pesquisador, em média, há 15 anos, possuem Pós-doutorado e bolsa produtividade do CNPq. Prevalecem as interações pontuais e esporádicas, de média complexidade de conteúdo tecnológico e o fluxo de conhecimento é, basicamente, dos grupos de pesquisa para as empresas. O grupo de pesquisa avalia o potencial de aplicação dos resultados de suas pesquisas e acompanha a trajetória profissional dos egressos, atribuindo elevada importância às atividades relacionadas à contribuição para o avanço do conhecimento científico, sólida formação acadêmica e profissional dos alunos de graduação, formação de pessoas de alto nível de especialização (mestrado/doutorado), desenvolvimento de pesquisas de vanguarda na fronteira do conhecimento, desenvolvimento de pesquisas que contribuam para a sustentabilidade, desenvolvimento de pesquisas que contribuam para solucionar problemas da região, publicação de resultados de pesquisa em revistas de alto impacto e ao reconhecimento do trabalho de pesquisa do grupo por seus pares. O financiamento das pesquisas é decorrente em grande parte de agências de financiamento, tais como FAPERGS, CNPq, CAPES e FINEP, os recursos da própria universidade e de empresas que representam uma parcela muito pequena. A maior parte dos grupos estudados não utilizou financiamento público para atividades inovativas. Os grupos de pesquisa ainda não avaliam como de alta intensidade as contribuições decorrentes da interação com empresas. A burocracia tem sido a maior dificuldade na aprovação dos projetos de interação Universidade-Empresa.