There are many number of ways in which you can get involved with the School. We encourage local and international businesses to visit us and deliver presentations or guest lectures to an inspired audience.
Visits and Lectures
Many companies like to visit the School to give guest lectures or presentations. Doing so is beneficial because you not only acquire insight into our student' education, skills and talent, but you also gain the opportunity to promote your company as an employer of choice to the top graduates.
Research and Exchange
We also work closely with a network of business-related departments that are part of Maastricht University: the Service Science Factory, SME portal and Centre for Entrepreneurship. These specifically give opportunities to small- and medium-sized enterprises wishing to use the School's academic talent.
SME Portal
As an entrepreneur, you need access to the best business-related knowledge - be it about market research, product development or positioning. The SME Portal is a university-wide initiative that facilitates the transfer of knowledge between SMEs and academic researchers. You provide us with your business problems as case studies; our students carry out research for you, and you in turn use this research in your business. A win-win situation.
The SME Portal offers also other services: two-to-four times per year, our professors give lectures for entrepreneurs to attend. As an SME, you can also promote your company to students via an LCD screen on our 'Wall of Opportunities' at the entrance to the School. This gives you the opportunity to promote yourself as an employer brand to prospective employees.
Service Science Factory
The Service Science Factory is a meeting point for R&D professionals from companies and top academics from various disciplines. Our goal is to provide a think-tank for innovation in, and development of, services. The benefits for businesses are access to top-quality knowledge and training, increased speed of innovation and lower investment costs for all involved.
This university-wide, interdisciplinary innovation platform is made possible by the contribution of business partners such as Infosys and Océ, and universities such as Technion in Hafia (Israel) and the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane (Australia).
Research Projects
Do you have a topic you'd like our students to research on your behalf? An initiative supported by Maastricht University, Research Project Maastricht (RPM) allows fourteen talented students to conduct company-specific research in the fields of tax, legal and business studies. Our students carry out research for your organisation, tailor their analysis to your market, sector or competitors; identify possible partners, investment opportunities or market expansion; indicate consumer behaviour, import and export opportunities etc.
With twenty years of experience, we offer high quality, up-to-the-minute academic knowledge, practical skills and company-specific research at competitive rates.
Maastricht Centre for Entrepreneurship
The Maastricht Centre for Entrepreneurship invites entrepreneurs, investors and others who share our enterprising spirit to help us educate future entrepreneurs. In our work, we closely collaborate with top entrepreneurs and investors to expose our students to the real world complexities of starting and growing new business ventures. Those already contributing to this initiative have reported that they learned valuable lessons from each and every interaction. In addition to involving practitioners in our education and research, we also help individual entrepreneurs and management teams of entrepreneurial ventures to set and achieve growth targets. The Centre particularly focuses its education, research- and coaching on young, (potentially) high-growth companies and the issues they face. We also support business development and corporate venturing efforts in large firms.
Our contributions to both the academic and the business worlds are diverse, ranging from tackling issues that pertain to opportunity identification, business modelling and entrepreneurial finance to scalability and growth dynamics. We not only seek to partner with entrepreneurs and investors, but also (multinational) corporations and individuals wishing to contribute to a growing portfolio of activities that inspires and empowers students, alumni and others. Many of our activities rely heavily on sponsorships and donations. Relatively small amounts can make a huge difference. By investing in our work, you can tap into the knowledge of our Centre and help us create and sustain the next generation of entrepreneurs. Those who are already involved do not only want to give back, they want to be part of a vibrant community where the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and kicking.
Examples of initiatives requiring funding:
- Research on informal investment
- (Pre-)incubation support and facilities
- Summer Schools in (Social) Entrepreneurship
- Awareness activities
For more information or to get involved, visit the website.
