Innovative and Entrepreneurial Universities in Latin America
The review examines how higher education institutions are supporting innovation and entrepreneurship in their surrounding communities. The study focuses on eleven universities located in six countries in Latin America: Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay.
The study finds that selected institutions are actively supporting entrepreneurs (university students, but also local entrepreneurs) through courses, incubation and acceleration activities. It also shows that universities are actively engaging with external stakeholders in their surrounding communities, to spur innovation through joint-research, organisation of events (such as festivals, competition). It finds that that while COVID-19 pandemic brought about some challenges, universities managed to stay afloat and keep a steady stream of support to entrepreneurs and partners. The review also illustrates the challenges that universities face when developing these activities (lack of funding, unclear regulation for intellectual property development, etc.) and highlights some opportunities that universities should leverage, particularly in the current context.
Preface
Changes in technology, labour markets, the climate, demography, and, more recently, the COVID-19 pandemic, are having a transformational impact on our societies and ways of life. Because they have a critical role to play in the development of transversal skills and applied knowledge, and can drive, innovation and entrepreneurship, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Latin American countries also have a critical role to play in adjusting to these, and indeed future, transitions.
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