Role of Competences of Graduates in Building Innovations via Knowledge Transfer in the Part of Carpathian Euroregion

Abstract

Cross-border cooperation within the framework of the Carpathian Euroregion provides the possibility of building the processes of education at universities that would facilitate knowledge transfer from the universities to the business sphere, which is particularly significant in terms of forming innovations. The aim of the research conducted was the analysis of the key competences that have an impact on the level of innovativeness of the graduates of the universities of a business profile in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Romania. In the methodology used, a systematic literary review of the acquired references from the databases of ProQuest, Emerald, SCOPUS, and the Jagiellonian Library was applied from the outset. Subsequently, a small number of foreign and Polish research works conducted in the sphere of the stipulated subject matter of the competences of graduates, as well as their innovativeness were identified and ascertained. This facilitated the specification of the cognitive gaps as follows: There was no prior research relating to the Carpathian Euroregion and the transnational cooperation, with particular consideration given to the role of graduates of universities in terms of shaping change in this area. In empirical research, a survey method was chosen as it enabled, among other things, the quantitative description of specific aspects declared as the competences of graduates in the chosen research group. The research conducted reveals that there are no stipulated ways of ranking the essential competences directed at innovativeness, thus the decision-makers at the universities in the Carpathian Euroregion must consider what way and what activities they may use to connect the development of competences. The results acquired and the conclusions drawn may serve the transfer and adoption of good practices from individual countries and regions to other European and non-European ones.