Learning Lessons from the UNITEL Project Module: Universities- Business Collaboration (An Overview and Some Experiences)

In this study, by focusing on the findings of the UNITEL Project Module: Universities- Business Collaboration (An Overview and Some Experiences), we have learned that fostering universities-business (industries) collaboration applies innovative teaching and learning strategies based on technology enhanced learning (TEL) and collaborative methodology so that the UNITEL project sought to address the current issues by putting into practice a working methodology to modernize STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education. Thus, conduction of a study on collaboration between universities and business (industry), as part of UNITEL Project, implies that such collaboration becomes a cornerstone of innovation and competitive advantages for economic development, entrepreneurship and industrial modernization. The primary goals of this paper are to review the conceptual discussion that the Module conducted and investigate the learning lessons that resulted from its findings. To reach out empirically these ends, we have developed an econometric framework of a trade gravity model to observe the estimated effects of Science and Technology (S&T) indicators on bilateral trade between Iran and Vietnam for 20 exporting goods groups (industries) during 1998-2022. The implication is that tradable industries benefit from investments in technology enhanced learning (TEL), which is a percentage of R&D expenditures and is proxied for an S&T indicator.