Knowledge intensive structures surrounding an HEI provide opportunities to exchange knowledge and ideas and promote a sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem. These include incubators, science parks and other initiatives. Many knowledge intensive structures, such as incubators and science parks, may be physically close to HEIs, but proximity per se does not generate knowledge exchange. An entrepreneurial and innovative HEI should have systems in place that allow both inward and outward flows of knowledge and ideas.

Incubation facilities usually maintain close links with research and entrepreneurship support activities of HEIs, because these can be important recruitment channels for new tenants. Extra-curricular entrepreneurship activities are good opportunities to link academic activities in research and teaching with incubation facilities. Examples are: idea generation workshops for researchers, students and tenant firms; innovation boot-camps; and (international) start-up weekends.

Science parks are major infrastructure investments, often with a clear regional or local development focus. Most science parks are built around or in close proximity to one or more HEIs. Innovative firms will locate in science parks in order to:

• Gain access to HEI-based knowledge, research and technology networks
• Utilise technical and administrative services; and
• Benefit from the proximity to highly skilled and specialised labour

Cross-fertilisation of knowledge is important and can be achieved through the provision of open spaces for collaboration and networking opportunities. Also, the co-location of higher education facilities and firms has become international good practice. For knowledge exchange to happen, communication between and within these two groups is crucial. Establishing a functioning communication network may require adaptation of the infrastructure for cross-communication purposes, for example, through joint cafeterias, journal and newspaper corners. This will also need bottom-up and top-down approaches to create and use meeting spaces and events to nurture a flow of knowledge in both directions.

Science parks also attract local firms from outside their premises through conferences and technology specific events. This can increase the outreach of higher education institutions to these firms. For this, students can serve as 'knowledge channels' and share information on research activities and results. Students will need to be coached to gain a good understanding of the expectations of the audience, and to use appropriate language and communication tools in order to make expert knowledge accessible for a wider audience.

HEIs may have a direct financial or management interest in science parks and incubators, ranging from participation to (partial) ownership. This will require a long-term investment of additional human and financial resources from higher education institutions.