Leaders of top research-oriented universities in 28 countries agreed to work together for sharing knowledge and transferring technologies for development during an annual forum in Seoul on Tuesday.

More than 120 participants representing 57 universities attended the International Presidential Forum on Global Research Universities hosted by Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.

A series of presentations and discussions dealt with how to accelerate innovative research and creative ideas to improve lives and advance industries under the theme: “Knowledge Creation, Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship.”

Michael Drake, chancellor of the University of California, Irvine, said that research universities were now serving as central engines of innovation in many developed countries.

“But we face now a question: What we have to do in the next 50 years? Knowledge creation should be a primary goal, and we must continue to create ideas, products to elevate human existence,” Drake said.

Joerg Steinbach, president of Technical University of Berlin, said entrepreneurship was an integral part of building up universities’ competency.

“Developing entrepreneurship, spin-offs are not something we should do voluntarily, but obligatorily. We have to provide an environment that entrepreneurs stay close to universities to get support and help transfer an initial idea to a market,” he told the forum.

The participants acknowledged that universities traditionally have focused on making discoveries through fundamental research, but much of their efforts have not led to technology transfer and stimulation of the economy.

They agreed on a joint declaration Tuesday to encourage more start-ups and continue to manage and foster their growth.

“This forum helped participants from around the world to define the choices ahead as universities seek the most productive and beneficial models for cooperation with industry, venture start-ups and governments,” said KAIST president Kang Sung-mo.

By Oh Kyu-wook (596story@heraldcorp.com)