Universities, Sustainability and Businesses …
613
10 Closing Remarks
The gap between Academia and Business has always existed. But in this exponentially changing era, despite examples with growing distances between them mainly
in developing countries, the technological changes are quickly modifying the landscape, and institutions are trying to catch-up with the accelerations.
In order to face these challenges of the future, it is not possible to act in isolation.
This is the time for connectivity. This is the time for partnerships. The first thing
that innovators always do is to find a partner for any initiative, for their project, or
for building and sustaining their businesses. Together with the Government and the
Civil Society Organizations, Academia is and will continue to be the first source of
Knowledge and Research. Similarly, Academia is also nurtured by Business, and
normally there are more common than differentiated objectives.
Currently, there are no more “local” Universities or “local” Companies. Borderless
communities are now empowering themselves and deciding to give or not to give
their “Social License to Operate” to public or private initiatives. In some cases,
even technology is seen as “threatening” the status quo, but everybody also knows
that Science has always solved most of the pressing problems of humankind. Many
examples show the intense acceleration of technological changes, and how slowly
relatively, human institutions are adapting to it. Technology is going to continue to
evolve rapidly: the challenge is to accelerate the changes in the organizations that are
supposed to manage the Human and the Physical Capital required by the common
good.
For the above mentioned specific cases, and many others, this journey towards a
widening digital future could be accelerated by better connecting their main protagonists: Universities and Businesses. Science certainly will continue to be the light
ahead of all for all innovating processes, at least for many generations ahead. Of
course, for this processes to succeed, it will be necessary to generate a common
purpose and a common language.
As an example, the planet was wise enough to practically close the gap in the
Ozone Layer by adapting its technologies to a well-recognized risk. It was done in
parallel to the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals. The MDGs
helped to channel reductions in extreme poverty, child mortality rates, and gender
equality, among others. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) improved them,
creating 169 indicators, and progress is already visible in just a couple of years since
their launch. The legitimacy jointly built by 193 countries gave the world a common
purpose and concrete directions. Then, it is possible to expect that the 17 SDGs could
be the lanes of the bridge connecting U&B, together with many other initiatives
promoting partnerships.
In regards to the “common language” issue, it has never been so simple to communicate with each other due to the instruments provided by the modern Information
and Communication Technologies (ICT). Their wide availability allows us to affirm
that the Digital language already is and will increasingly be the way to reshaping
trust and paving the way to better connect with ourselves, with our environment, and
613
10 Closing Remarks
The gap between Academia and Business has always existed. But in this exponentially changing era, despite examples with growing distances between them mainly
in developing countries, the technological changes are quickly modifying the landscape, and institutions are trying to catch-up with the accelerations.
In order to face these challenges of the future, it is not possible to act in isolation.
This is the time for connectivity. This is the time for partnerships. The first thing
that innovators always do is to find a partner for any initiative, for their project, or
for building and sustaining their businesses. Together with the Government and the
Civil Society Organizations, Academia is and will continue to be the first source of
Knowledge and Research. Similarly, Academia is also nurtured by Business, and
normally there are more common than differentiated objectives.
Currently, there are no more “local” Universities or “local” Companies. Borderless
communities are now empowering themselves and deciding to give or not to give
their “Social License to Operate” to public or private initiatives. In some cases,
even technology is seen as “threatening” the status quo, but everybody also knows
that Science has always solved most of the pressing problems of humankind. Many
examples show the intense acceleration of technological changes, and how slowly
relatively, human institutions are adapting to it. Technology is going to continue to
evolve rapidly: the challenge is to accelerate the changes in the organizations that are
supposed to manage the Human and the Physical Capital required by the common
good.
For the above mentioned specific cases, and many others, this journey towards a
widening digital future could be accelerated by better connecting their main protagonists: Universities and Businesses. Science certainly will continue to be the light
ahead of all for all innovating processes, at least for many generations ahead. Of
course, for this processes to succeed, it will be necessary to generate a common
purpose and a common language.
As an example, the planet was wise enough to practically close the gap in the
Ozone Layer by adapting its technologies to a well-recognized risk. It was done in
parallel to the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals. The MDGs
helped to channel reductions in extreme poverty, child mortality rates, and gender
equality, among others. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) improved them,
creating 169 indicators, and progress is already visible in just a couple of years since
their launch. The legitimacy jointly built by 193 countries gave the world a common
purpose and concrete directions. Then, it is possible to expect that the 17 SDGs could
be the lanes of the bridge connecting U&B, together with many other initiatives
promoting partnerships.
In regards to the “common language” issue, it has never been so simple to communicate with each other due to the instruments provided by the modern Information
and Communication Technologies (ICT). Their wide availability allows us to affirm
that the Digital language already is and will increasingly be the way to reshaping
trust and paving the way to better connect with ourselves, with our environment, and