Introduction to the special issue: Universities as interactive partners

In a knowledge economy universities are expected to play a more active role in the creation and dissemination of new knowledge. The effectiveness of universities in playing this role is highly dependent on the country-specific institutional context and on the regional framework. Despite the abundant literature on technology transfer by universities, there is still room for a better understanding of how these specificities impact on the ability of universities to engage in effective interactions with industry and how policy-makers may favor these interactions. The main aim of this special section is to fill this gap by providing empirical analysis referring to an array of developed and emerging countries (Brazil, Italy, Finland, Sweden, and Thailand) which are trying to increase the ability of the university system to interact with industry.