Barriers to Effective Interaction of Russian Universities and Companies

Today universities become drivers of technology and business development all over the world. Besides fulfilling traditional tasks of creating new knowledge and competence, higher education institutions play a significant role in developing innovative ecosystems and entrepreneurship. In Russia, however, the interaction of universities and business is forming not as quickly as in developed economies. This article uses qualitative interviews and case analysis to identify and discuss the barriers to effective university-enterprise interaction in Russia. The research is based on expert interviews with representatives of universities and businesses, as well as on the case study of PJSC «LUKOIL» and HEIs interaction. The study showed that the development of university-enterprise interaction meets several barriers rooted in the mismatch of both sides’ expectations of each other. The results of the research also show promising directions for university-business cooperation in Russia.