New generation universities and university-industry cooperation mechanisms: A model proposal for the defense industry

University, which has a deep-rooted history, has been classified throughout history as first generation, second generation, and third generation. Today, fourth generation universities are operating, which involve the collaboration between universities engaged in scientific research and the industrial sector involved in production. In this thesis, the development of the defense industry sector in Turkey and the collaborations between these sectors and universities are examined to identify the observed shortcomings and challenges, and to provide solutions and recommendations for these issues. The sample for the research consists of academicians involved in collaborations with defense companies and engineers who have worked with universities in collaboration processes with defense companies. The questions posed to academicians and engineers are evaluated using the descriptive content analysis method, and the findings are presented. Ultimately, policy recommendations are provided for the improvement of university-industry collaboration mechanisms. Keywords: Defense Industry, Knowledge Management, University-Industry Cooperation, New Generation Universities.