SUPPORTING ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN ROMANIA

The present paper makes an evidence-based analysis of the current strategies and practices in Romanian higher education institutions (HEIs) towards supporting entrepreneurship and innovation development. Entrepreneurship and innovation in HEIs are no longer exclusively associated with business start-ups and technology transfer but are increasingly understood as core elements of a procedural framework for how the institution and its key stakeholders behave. Our study proves clearly that the entry point for digital transformation in Romanian HEIs should be connected to online teaching and learning, not forgetting that digitalization covers much more than the on-line delivery of content. In this context, HEIs in Romania are already deploying digital technologies, however the uptake and integration varies among and within institutions. In this respect, our conclusions comprise practical arguments for how HEIs should make the most out of the opportunities presented by digital transformation and about how to materialize the digital technologies as a key enabler for HEIs continuously competitiveness improvement, in the new globalized educational system.