To improve university and commercial ties with industry, many universities operate a technology transfer office (TTO) as a vehicle to support the creation of spin-off companies. Run effectively, the TTO can define roles and responsibilities, structures and processes that support the creation and development of new ventures. The challenge for universities is to create TTOs with the right skill set. This paper aims to analyze the TTO activities to support transforming research outputs into commercialization in the context of the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine from Cluj-Napoca, Romania (UASVMCN). Throughout this paper, different commercialization channels, the roles of technology transfer offices and multiple associative structures are further discussed with a special focus on agricultural open innovations and technologies. This study contributes to sustainable development of both Academia and agricultural Industry research, development and commercialization activities by illustrating current innovation and technology transfer activities produced by UASVMCN and its own TTO as a catalyst entity, a new model in Romania, so that the Academia-TTO-Economy partners association draw a functional and productive triple helix. In order to assess the sustainability of using the above-mentioned TTO, the methodological tools involving analysis are implemented. Finally, this paper states that correct operating of a university TTO is a real opportunity for technology transfer, both from the perspective of an alternative to research funding or entrepreneurship, and from the cultural perspective of the university correlation to the current trends in research, innovation and technology transfer, on a unique and entrepreneurial European market.

Siti Norbaya Kasa, Mohd Firdaus Omar, Mohd Mustafa Al Bakri Abdullah, Ismarul Nizam Ismail, Sam Sung Ting, Sebastian Calin Vac, Petrica Vizureanu - Effect of Unmodified and Modified Nanocrystalline Cellulose Reinforced Polylactic Acid (PLA) Polymer Prepared by Solvent Casting Method Morphology, mechanical and thermal properties

Animal manure is an important source of anthropogenic GHG (greenhouse gas): methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2). The livestock contributes with 37% of global CH4 emission. The sources of GHG (CO2 and CH4) are the liquid manure or slurry storage and the compact solid manure. Measurement systems of GHG emission are important for the selection of the appropriate technology. By using the closed chamber method for soil, landfills, volcanoes etc., the present study evaluates the estimation of total emissions of methane and carbon dioxide from an experimental farm in Cluj County, Romania. The investigated area covered with sheep solid manure was about 579 m2 and ~5 cm thick, for cattle was about 12 m2 and 5 m thick and for swine was about 1.5 m5 and 0.5 m thick. The total methane emission measured for sheep manure was 0.83 t CH4/year and for cattle manure was 0.185 t CH4/year. The total carbon dioxide emission measured for sheep manure was 61.3 t CO2/year and for cattle manure was 4.7 t CO2/year. The measurement for pigs manure was high and this could be due to the freshness of the manure. The estimated emissions showed that a considerable amount of CH4 and CO2 is produced also by an experimental farm and an appropriate management of manure is important for reducing greenhouse gas. In this respect, we believe that the future solution for a green economy is to use manure in biogas plants.

An analysis of the research, innovation and technology transfer environment carried out by the European Commission ranks Romania in one of the last places in Europe, mentioning the lack of investments in research, especially at the level of modern infrastructure and equipment, among the most important reasons. On the other hand, Romanian universities must face the competition at the international and the European level, in order to face the technical and socio-economic challenges both at the societal level, and with respect to the inherent technological evolutions. Under these conditions, this article presents a case study of a top university in Romania that has, for the first time in its history as an EU member, successfully implemented European structural funding investment and research grant for building a new advanced research institute at the level of excellence compatible with the most demanding expectations in the field of horticulture, and is using it in accordance with the standards of the European Research Area. In an analysis of the results of all horticultural labs covered by the new institute, also from a perspective of cross-cutting collaboration between them, during a 5-year study of sustainability, the model presented demonstrates the effectiveness and efficiency of European structural funds in the field of scientific research. It is a real success of advanced research, innovation, development, and technology transfer, which can be adopted by any other university in the EU.

In the period 2007-2013, the budget sector research, development, innovation and technology transfer (RDITT) in Romania was about 4 billion euro, i.e. an average of about 0.47% of Romania's GDP in the seven years. By comparison, in the German State of Baden-Wuerttemberg (BW) is invested annually in RDITT about 5.1% of state GDP, the industrial sector contributes nearly 80% of investments. A decisive role in the development of the RDITT in BW it has RDITT catalyst institutions such as Max-Planck Society, Fraunhoffer Society, Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers, Innovation Alliance, Steinbeis Foundation. This research aims to reveal the huge potential and benefits it can bring research, innovation and technology transfer in sustainable development of agriculture in Romania using catalyst institutions model. The material used in this study was experts of academia, experts of economics, promoting documents and laboratories visited at the University of Tubingen and at the Natural and Medical Sciences Institute of Reutlingen, Germany. The methods used were documentation, real visiting of the two institutions and analysis the facts and the documents. The conclusion is that using the European models of technology transfer (especially the German model), all the benefits will be found in the future in Romanian economy, bringing added value to the quality of life and wellbeing.

Consumers have become more interested in leading better and higher quality lives, and have become more aware of the health effects nutrition has on their body, stimulating the development of functional foods (FF), recognized for their ability to provide physiological benefits that go beyond conventional nutritional function. The evolution of this product category is supported by the progress of research on bioactive compounds and changing consumer preferences, but empirical evidence regarding the level of knowledge, acceptance and purchasing behavior of Romanian consumers remains insufficient. Meanwhile, technology in the food industry has evolved significantly in recent decades, creating opportunities for entrepreneurs and consumers. Using empirical evidence from a survey carried out on the consumers in the region of Transylvania, the study uses a cross-sectional observational design and investigates the awareness of and the population’s differences in perception and attitude on FF products depending on the generations and socio-economic situations consumers belong to, and the impact FF have on the market. The analysis focuses on food choice behaviors, degree of trust in health benefits and factors influencing the decision-making process. The results show that consumers are not aware of the FF concept, but understand the relation between food choice behaviors and personal health and act accordingly. Results also show that older consumers are more aware of their health, and younger consumers are more influenced by trends. This paper can be of importance to consumers, entrepreneurs, food and technological industries, governments and universities.