Business engagement is no longer an optional extra for universities

Abstract

This chapter addresses the importance of building links between higher education and the business community, arguing that the pursuit of knowledge has always had application to developments outside of academia, with business links not only providing economic benefits for the community but personal and professional benefits for the individual. It examines high-level strategic actions taken in the UK and elsewhere to promote links between businesses and universities, concluding that the mission of universities will continue to evolve to benefit the societies they are part of.