Developing SMEs through university support centres: A comparative analysis

Abstract

As well as in many countries, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Serbia are considered to be the main generators of new jobs and "a power" for fighting unemployment. In order that they should develop successfully, many SMEs need support that universities (with their centres) can provide, which is possible only through strong collaboration between university and industry. This paper highlights the importance of university support to the SME sector development and analyzes the entrepreneurial role of universities. A comparative analysis of services provided by twenty entrepreneurship education and start-up support centres of five universities is made in order to: 1. provide a list of services that universities can offer to the SME development; 2. highlight the importance of university-industry linkage; and 3. determine where University of Belgrade and its centres stand in comparison to some of the world leading universities in the field of SME development and entrepreneurship support.