D2.5 Operational manual for implementation of third mission - final version

Operational manual for implementation of the third mission includes the set of recommendations and guidelines to Serbian HEIs (universities, faculties, institutes, high schools) on how to establish the legal framework and procedures for successful implementation of the third mission. This strategic document was developed as the result of several activities that preceded and whose findings and conclusions were summarized in the form of recommendations for the development of third mission taking into account the specificities of Serbian HEIs, their state-of-the-art in the area as well as operational capacities to carry out the recommended measures.

Starting from the basics, the IF4TM analyzed the level of development and implementation of third mission activities at EU institutions and countries, finding in their experience the examples of good practice that can be custom-tailored for application in Serbia (D1.1). With mapping of current state-of-art at Serbian existing legal framework (D.1.3) and existing legislative at seven higher education institutions (D1.4), it was able to identify the gaps to be overcome and challenges to be solved in order to establish the support system for the third mission (D1.5). Based on the findings, the communication was established with the relevant stakeholders at national and institutional level through organization of debate and round tables at Policy seminar (D1.2) and a set of consensus meetings (D2.2).

Building on the findings and conclusions of these activities, the IF4TM project proposed in D2.5 Manual the set of concrete actions to strengthen all three third mission dimensions:

1. Technology transfer and innovations

2. Continuing education

3. Social engagement.

This strategic document also foresees the development of monitoring system through definition of set of metrics to follow the realization of proposed activities.

Although this initiative will be implemented to a great extent at seven Serbian universities, it tends to scale up the impact and expand it to all higher education institution in Serbia.

As results of this effort, this version of the Manual is developed with the aim to share the findings of the comprehensive work and analysis conducted so far and will be updated by the end of the project with new results and findings in order to provide the most efficient set of guidelines to be used by the universities outside the IF4TM Consortium that wants to engage in developing the third mission concept.