The Third Mission

There is an increasing demand for universities to contribute to society by making good use of their knowledge and output to address growing societal and economic challenges. This so-called Third Mission adds to the two traditional purposes of academic institutions: research and teaching.

The Third Mission has two key priorities
  1. targeted use and transfer of academic knowledge to help resolve current societal and economical challenges;
  2. transfer and utilisation of technologies and innovations through cooperation with public and private enterprises. 

Not a declared priority but an imperative for the above aims is that universities interact more with the society they are an integral part of. Rather than sealing off, as was previously common, they now seek an open and public discourse, igniting a widespread debate about topical issues.

In terms of exploitation of their output, universities should ensure major research findings do not end up in a drawer but are taken up and utilised by industry – so we all, society as a whole, may benefit from them.

Acting upon these maxims, the CENTRAL partners have joined forces to make the Central European research area and our academic discourse widely seen, within Europe and beyond. Thus, under the CENTRAL umbrella, a wide variety of outreach activities is taking place.