UNIVERSITY/INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS – BY THE CREATIVE WAY TO PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE: THE GOALS AND BENEFITS OF THE LOGISTICS PROJECT

Abstract

Global competitive environment encourages cooperation between industry and the higher education institutions to get mutual benefits, but recently the focus is also on participation of students in these partnerships. The paper represents good practice of industry/university cooperation with participating students through the presentation of the logistics work-study project. The key benefits of the project are recognized in students’ upgraded or acquired competencies, new scientific instrumentation and methodology for faculty and technological know-how, as well as in increasing absorptive capacity of company for scientific and technological problem-solving, in networks and social interactions. Thus potential partners should establish long-term partnerships as well as they should search for appropriate calls and funds to apply for these kinds of projects. Although the faculty and the company have established long-term partnership, students was not able to establish such partnership, because funds and consequently duration of the project were limited. Therefore companies should also provide financial funds to invest in their potential employees, especially when it comes to a public company with less stimulating working environment and predominantly older workforce.

Key words: logistics work-study project, higher education/industry cooperation, students engagement, case study, performanece discussions.