Vladimir Vasilyev believes one of the most important aspects of the interaction between universities and business is training highly qualified specialists, whose competence does not require additional resource and time costs on the part of the employer.
"In the field of IT, particularly in the area of software development, at least 60-70% of the added value of the product related to human, intellectual and professional capital. The success of the company depends on the quality of the latter, and this particular resource is provided by universities. Therefore, if a business wants to be ahead of the others, it must integrate into every stage of the higher education process," says the rector of ITMO University.
In addition to the recommendations for high-tech industries interested in the best human resources, Vladimir Vasilyev also explained about the need for restructuring tertiary education.
"In order to successfully interact with businesses, universities, in turn, should function like a corporation. The modern model of an entrepreneurial university implies that a scientific and educational center, just like a successful export-oriented IT company, must have its own development strategy, developed on the basis of a foresight and in-depth market research. Hence it requires the establishment of university departments that are engaged in marketing, analytics and strategic planning. Furthermore, the university, as with businesses, must attract talented, professional and motivated people, however, the University addresses this requirement on two levels, on one hand, attracting the most capable students, and on the other, the best educators and researchers". – explains Mr. Vasilyev