The role of universities has been changing over last decades. In the modern society the Humboldtian model of higher education is quite obsolete concept. As a result of competition and globalization, the universities have to be adapted. The question is: how? We have to create The Thrid Generation University that aims to not only learn and research but also to collaborate with industries. Thus IN this collaboration not only university would be a „winner”, but also this kind of partnership can be beneficial for the business environment. This paper reports on a case study of Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences in the moment of transformation. The activity of WUELS will serve as an example – and will be also a basis to analyze the model of knowledge transfer.

Key words: third generation university, knowledge transfer, technology transfer, modern education