The triple helix interactions (university, industry, government) are perceived to be the key to assisting in the development of nowadays fast pacing knowledge based society. Building of such interactions with proper protocols and missions can lead to innovation outburst, entrepreneurial capacities, and enhanced knowledge and technology transfer with the ultimate goal of a successful engagement in regional development.
Nevertheless, such interactions involve several shifts especially in higher education which has to assume an entrepreneurial role and to incorporate in its mission, knowledge commercialization strategies by involving industry and government. These shifts can be successfully observed in developed countries where the regions nearby universities burst with entrepreneurial ventures, innovation capacity and overall improved regional economy. Nevertheless, this is not the case in South East Europe and especially in Greece. Harsh economic environment, low communication among the triple helix actors, rigid structures of academic institutions, obsolete regulatory framework, lack of business oriented culture, limited support for entrepreneurial activities, low innovation score, and severe brain drain, point towards the fact that triple helix interactions are not being performed in this area.
To this extent, initiating the triple helix interactions in Greece and in the South East European region by establishing the Triple Helix Association (THA) Chapter of Greece which will follow the THA mission as well as successful case studies can potentially assist this region by enabling proper long term sustainable regional development.
Through the THA Chapter of Greece we aim to create an effective dialog among the local Triple-Helix entities in order to bolster the innovation and entrepreneurship capacity, fight the brain drain and properly engage in regional development. The ultimate goal of the THA Chapter of Greece is to expand towards becoming a Chapter model that could expand to build a knowledge capacity for the THA goals and objectives for the entire South East European Region.
We invite any triple helix stakeholder that believes in such a mission to engage in the THA Chapter of Greece and we look forward to a productive collaboration !