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- Entrepreneurial Universities and Entrepreneurial Ecosystems: Dynamics, Synergies, and ChallengesPublication . Patrício, Maria de Lurdes Silva Duarte; Ferreira, João José de MatosThe present thesis aims to study the theme of entrepreneurial universities and entrepreneurial ecosystems, exploring the dynamics, synergies, and challenges. Universities face growing pressure to fulfil their third mission, catalyze technological change and innovation, and promote economic and societal development. To address these challenges, universities combine their traditional roles with an entrepreneurial approach, fostering a collaborative partnership with government and industry to create an environment conducive to innovation. This entrepreneurial academic mindset leads to the rise of the entrepreneurial university. In this scenario, it is crucial to comprehend the relationship between universities, their activities, and entrepreneurship within entrepreneurial ecosystems. By exploring how universities can be better prepared to utilize existing synergies and overcome their challenges, we can better understand the dynamics at play. This thesis uses a methodological pluralism based on a mixed approach involving the elaboration of a Systematic Literature Review (SLR), quantitative methods - use of descriptive statistics methods, linear regression, discriminant analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis - and qualitative methods - Fuzzy Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) models. The SLR (Chapter 2) unveils six main research paths upon which the subsequent chapters are based. This chapter explores how universities’ dynamics and initiatives are related to entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial ecosystems. Based on the bibliographic coupling of document references performed in Bibliometrix, a spectrum of six main research topics was identified better to understand the dynamics of the Ent_Uni and Ent_Eco concepts. In Chapter 3, we examined the relevance of higher education institutions in the subsequent development of university graduates' entrepreneurial activity. In this chapter, we analyse the relationship between the Total Early Stage Entrepreneurial Activities of graduate individuals (TEAed4) and their entrepreneurial attitudes and social values towards entrepreneurship. In Chapter 4, we sought to deepen the existing knowledge about the entrepreneurial anatomy of universities necessary to face a significant increase in the need to monetize the knowledge generated by universities. In this chapter, we approached the issue from an institutional perspective, seeking to determine if the dimensions included in the HEInnovate selfassessment tool are aligned with the subsequent development of university entrepreneurial activity. The essay conducted in Chapter 5 discusses how entrepreneurial universities may train their graduates to develop entrepreneurial activities through investment in entrepreneurial education and a strong link between theoretical and practical aspects, thereby incorporating greater cooperation with industry and the government. The findings convey how entrepreneurial graduates are aware of the need for university-industry collaboration and the dependence on government policy and funding. The findings generate implications. This study provides a framework that illustrates the articulation among formulated research propositions and underlines their positioning within the mutual engagement of triplehelix (TH) dynamics. Chapter 6 explores how the HEInnovate digital transformation and capability (DTC) dimension effectively reflects a university's vital characteristics that promote entrepreneurship and foster optimal TH dynamics and impacts. The findings identify three critical areas of focus that are all crucial for ensuring successful digital transformation (DT) processes – (a) focus on overcoming the barriers; (b) focus on capitalizing on knowledge; (c) focus on coping with change – facets essential to understanding the role of DTC in securing the overall success of DT processes. The present thesis uncovered new insights and a clearer understanding of the university entrepreneurial complexities. The entrepreneurial university concept is inherently complex and requires a definition of its specific characteristics beyond merely commercializing generated knowledge. It is essential to explore the dynamic characteristics of university outcomes and how they can be transformed into economic impact to address the challenges posed by society. This integration of different missions promotes innovation within an entrepreneurial ecosystem within and from university contexts, a challenging task due to the diversity of participating partners and the inherent difficulties of knowledge economy environments. While individually meaningful, the chapters offer significant contributions to entrepreneurial universities and ecosystems, serving as a stepping stone for future research endeavours and acknowledging their dynamics, synergies, and challenges.