Jurgen Raizner – A Spanning Boundaries Agent

“University-business cooperation (UBC) has never been more relevant than it is today, and it is in these difficult times that we witness how science and business work together to face societies’ challenges. At the frontier of these cooperation are the Spanning Boundaries agents, who break down internal and external organisational boundaries in their engagement for collaborative innovation”. University Industry Innovation Network, Amsterdam, issued Spanning Boundaries agents Profile Book: a collection of profiles showcasing the motivations, ideas and activities of those working at the interface of academia and industry. Jurgen Raizner’s profile as a successful Spanning Boundaries Champion has been featured in the book.

What is Boundary Spanning?

The “ability to understand and operate in the academic, public sector and business worlds, and even across the triple interface of the sectors” (Smart Specialisation Cohesion Policy 2014-2020).

According to Jurgen Raizner, barriers include bureaucracy that dictates the terms and conditions for interaction between universities and companies; a lack of understanding of what university-business collaboration entails; and a lack of understanding of the organisation’s own needs (be it business or university). Competencies to overcome those barriers are a key success factor of UBC.

About the Spanning Boundaries Project

“Whilst, universities and industry working in close cooperation are engines of innovation, it is PEOPLE who are the most crucial factor in transferring knowledge and innovation across institutions, mobilising resources, triggering organisational change, and making a difference in their regions. More than ever, there is a need to “span boundaries” between these institutions, which is why the Erasmus+ Knowledge Alliance project “Spanning Boundaries Development Programme” was created. We aim to empower and enable university and business professionals to make a stronger contribution to regional economic and social development by providing knowledge, support and a closer engagement with each other and their environment.” Project website

SPANNING BOUNDARIES AGENTS PROFILE BOOK
Champions of university-industry-society cooperation

ISBN 9789-491-901-515
This book hights the individuals interviewed within the research exercise in the Erasmus+ funded project “Spanning Boundaries” (project number 2018-1-IE01-KA202-038796)