On a hilltop high above the city center on the campus of the University of Coimbra stands an imposing statue of King Dinis, the university's founder. He is tufted with tatters of black fabric, remnants of a tradition in which friends rip a graduate's academic robe to celebrate completion of his studies. Like much at Coimbra, which was founded in 1290 and is one of Europe's oldest universities, the practice dates back centuries.
But now the Portuguese government hopes Coimbra and the country's other higher-education institutions can help the nation face the future, by leveraging university know-how to turn the country into a center for innovation. "A small country like Portugal can only survive," says Manuel Heitor, the secretary of state for science, technology, and higher education, "by becoming innovative and international—a true knowledge economy."
To read the full, original article click on this link: Portuguese Universities Turn Entrepreneurial, With Help From the U.S. - International - The Chronicle of Higher Education
Author: Karin Fischer
