The article reveals the importance of academic research in the context of new requirements of the knowledge economy. The strategic mission of universities should focus on defining the elements of "a culture of research": the accumulation of knowledge, the renewal of learning methods, the enlargement of research capacity, the growth in revenues resulting from research activities, the strengthening of the links between institutions that develop research in order to meet the challenges arising from the responsibilities to the society and from pointing out the international status of the university. In the analytical approach the authors have put emphasis on the imperative of establishing a cooperative relationship between academic, industry and business environments in order to achieve the general objectives - related to social and economic development at national and regional level - as well as the specific ones - related to the progress of the education, research and innovation fields. The study presents a number of European initiatives aimed to contribute, on the one hand, to the achievement of the university strategic mission in the research domain, and on the other hand, to the defining and development of an entrepreneurial culture. These initiatives are achieved through the integration of academic activities (training, skill development, and insertion of all categories of professionals in research) with activities from the industry and business areas in some specific structures such as business incubators, industrial and research parks, "universities – business" foundations, and research networks.