Universities and companies’ partnerships: theoretical-operational models and successful projects for shared innovation

Abstract

Technological innovation, accelerated by AI, requires a reformulation of partnerships between universities and companies, as well as a deep reflection on the educational and cultural value of such collaborations as a strategic lever for human and social progress. This article explores the extent to which these collaborations can respond to the demands of the global market and contemporary society by integrating the theoretical-methodological and operational approaches of educators and andragogists such as Knowles, Freire, Schön, and Mezirow with the principles of psychologists such as Gardner, Salovey, Mayer, and Goleman. Through the analysis of best practices from Italy and abroad, the article aims to demonstrate that educational paradigms centered on reflective learning, open innovation, and interdisciplinarity can be applied to advanced models of collaboration between academic institutions and organizations, contributing to the creation of resilient ecosystems oriented toward lifelong learning. Furthermore, a partnership model between universities and companies is proposed, integrating the aforementioned theoretical and operational approaches to promote more sustainable and inclusive collaborative practices.

Partnership tra università e aziende: modelli teorico-operativi e casi di successo per un’innovazione condivisa.

L’innovazione tecnologica, accelerata dall’IA, richiede una riformulazione delle partnership tra università e aziende, nonché una profonda riflessione sul valore educativo e culturale di tali collaborazioni come leva strategica per il progresso umano e sociale. L’articolo esplora in che misura queste collaborazioni possano rispondere alle richieste del mercato globale e della società, integrando gli approcci teorico-metodologici e operativi di educatori e andragogisti quali Knowles, Freire, Schön, Mezirow, con i principi di psicologi quali Gardner, Salovey, Mayer e Goleman. Attraverso l’analisi di best practices italiane e internazionali, si vuole dimostrare che paradigmi educativi incentrati sull’apprendimento riflessivo, l’innovazione aperta e l’interdisciplinarità possono essere applicati a modelli avanzati di collaborazione tra istituzioni accademiche e organizzazioni, contribuendo alla creazione di ecosistemi resilienti orientati all’apprendimento continuo. Viene, inoltre, proposto un modello di partnership tra università e aziende che integra gli approcci teorico-operativi menzionati per promuovere pratiche collaborative più sostenibili e inclusive.

Through the analysis of Italian and international best practices, the article aims to demonstrate that educational paradigms centered on reflective learning, open innovation, and interdisciplinarity can be applied to advanced collaboration models between academic institutions and organizations, contributing to the creation of resilient ecosystems oriented toward continuous learning. Furthermore, a partnership model between universities and companies is proposed, structured in sequential phases, which integrates the aforementioned theoretical-operational approaches to foster more sustainable and inclusive collaborative practices.