Public-private Partnerships in ICT Education from the Open Innovation Perspective

Abstract

The redefinition of the ICT engineering curricula at the postgraduate level (master or Ph.D. programmes) in the framework of Bologna process advises to link research, innovation and education activities within the concept of "knowledge triangle"; its implementation offers new opportunities to strengthen public-private partnerships in the European Union. The convergence between the European Research Area (ERA) and the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) with initiatives like the European Institute of Technology will accelerate curriculum adaptation and a close interaction between education and research. The experience shows that only large enterprises bit not SMEs could cope with the relevant aspects of stable interaction with engineering curriculum development because their internal capabilities and recruitment needs advise them to be deeply involved. This process is more intense in postgraduate studies where the level of specialization closes up the contents associated to academic curricula to job positions in industry. The evolution of engineering studies in Spain from the dual structure of 3 and 5-6 year curriculums to obtain an engineering degree to a full cycled structure where master degrees could be jointly designed independently from graduate degrees offers new opportunities to strengthening the open cooperation between stakeholders.