Study: 85 percent companies do not commission research at universities

According to the study, the industries most active in cooperation with universities include banking, insurance, finance and consulting. About 90 percent large companies in these areas have collaborated with universities.

The most common form of cooperation between universities and enterprises is providing jobs for graduates and students. Nearly 70 percent companies declare such cooperation. Almost 60 percent offer student placements. Less than 40 percent participate in job fairs and company presentations organized by universities. A little over 10 percent commission university career offices to carry out recruitment and selection of employees and studies of competences of the candidates.

According to the survey, nearly 85 percent companies have never cooperated with universities in areas such as commissioning theses or research, training courses and postgraduate studies. What are the reasons for this situation?

"Few universities have professionally prepared offers for business. Representatives of the surveyed companies were often surprised that cooperation with university is possible not only with regard to internships, but also interesting projects for companies or conducting activities that prepare students for work in a particular industry" - says cooperation with business and students development director at the Academy of Finance and Business Vistula, Anna Plewa.

She explained that among respondents were also those who had had bad experiences in cooperation with university career offices or teaching staff. "They stress that so far universities in relationships have been characterized by passivity and too much formalism" - added Plewa.

The survey shows that companies are not as interested in the establishment of scholarships for students and young researchers or organizing competitions for dissertations, and precisely these activities could help them find talents that would join their staff.

"The Polish economy has not yet reached the level on which investment in education is considered profitable investment in business development. We do not yet have a +culture+ of investment in science and education. I hope it\'s a matter of time" - admitted Plewa.

Nationwide Study of the Needs of Employers has been prepared by the Career Office of the Finance and Business Academy Vistula in the academic year 2013/2014 on a sample of 300 companies. The project was funded by the European Social Fund.

PAP - Science and Scholarship in Poland

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