This comparative case study focuses on interventions undertaken by two HEIs – Grenoble Institute of Technology and Luleå University of Technology – to address the goal of connecting with the ecosystem and creating effective collaborations with the regional business sector.

To connect themselves with their external ecosystem and the regional business sector, both HEIs offer companies and organisations various opportunities in research and education. Both HEIs have made efforts to provide competences and resources specifically geared towards the regional context. They make efforts to understand the needs and challenges of their prospective partners and conduct networking and outreach activities. To enable these activities, both HEIs invest time and resources. There is a high-level commitment at upper-management level which is reinforced through structural mechanisms that support the HEIs’ engagement with the regional business sector, such as services and functions dedicated to facilitating industry collaborations.

As a result of these efforts, both HEIs are known for their strong ties and numerous collaborations and partnerships with industries. Their strong connections with the business sector have increased the societal relevance and innovativeness of their research, facilitated technology transfer and knowledge uptake, and improved the relevance of their education portfolio as well as employment pathways for their students.