The relationship of the third academic mission with traditional teaching and research activities

Abstract

In the process of adapting to environmental changes, universities are moving towards new organizational models, with emphasis on the entrepreneurial university model. This is a global phenomenon that takes place in different economic and social contexts. In that regard, this research aims to identify the different ways of accomplishment of the third academic mission in universities and their relationship with traditional teaching and research activities. For this sake, this research is a case study focusing on two Brazilian universities: the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS) and the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio). The results show the use of several actions and mechanisms of innovation and entrepreneurship towards an entrepreneurial university model, with the establishment of links with both teaching and research. Furthermore, the studied cases show synergistic relationships between the third academic mission and the traditional academic missions, especially with research.