SUBTHEME: S4 University in regional innovation and social development Copyright of the paper resides with the author(s). Submission of a paper grants permission to the 8th Triple Helix International Scientific and Organizing Committees to include it in the conference material and to place it on relevant websites. The Scientific Committee may invite papers accepted for the conference to be considered for publication in Special Issues of selected journals. SUSTAINABLE TRIPLE HELIX EXPERIENCE IN A BRAZILIAN RURAL AREA Fernando Toledo Ferraz (Fluminense Federal University, Brazil) Suzana Dantas Hecksher (Fluminense Federal University, Brazil) José Manoel Carvalho de Mello (Fluminense Federal University, Brazil) Abstract This paper outlines the history of building and implementation of a university extension project (PAAS – Sustainable Upper River Aiuroca Project) which had as main goals: preservation of the environment and creation of sustainable alternatives of jobs for local community. The project was coordinated by the research group NEICT (Center for Studies in Innovation, Knowledge and Labour), Department of Production Engineering, Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Brazil. The objective of this article is to analyze the the role of the University in the balancing dynamics between the Innovation Triple Helix of university–industry–government and the Sustainability Triple Helix of university– public–government Keywords: Local development; Triple Helix; Sustainable Triple Helix; Triple Helix twins; Entrepreneurial University 1) I ntroduction This article analyses the balance dynamics between the Triple Helix of innovation (University – Industry – Government) and the Triple Helix of sustainability (University – Public - Government) on a local development project carried out in a Brazilian rural area. It is a university extension project denominated PAAS (Projeto Alto Aiuruoca Sustentável) which was executed at the Itatiaia National Park within the APA which stands for (Environmental Protection Area) located in the Mantiqueira mountain range, in the municipality of Itamonte MG (Minas Gerais State) – Brazil. The main objectives of this project were: contribute towards the preservation of the environment and the creation of income generating alternatives for the local population. The Project was coached by NEICT (Center for Studies on Innovation, Knowledge and Labor), research team of the Production Engineering from Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF) PASS was carried out along 2004 and 2006. And it was sponsored (funded) by Petrobras’s Environmental Program accomplishing each and every negotiated goal. Hence, under a result appraisal point of view, it can be considered as a successful program as far as a succesful Project when we compare the expected goals to those that were fully accomplished. However, the goal of this article is not results appraisal, but to reflect upon its making and implementation, identifying its trong highlights as well as its flaws while trying to buil up an articulation between the diferente logics of this double Triple Helix. The bulk of this article starts off by briefly reviewing the concepts on which the analysis conducted is based upon. The first one is the Trple Helix twins concept (innovation and sustainability), proposed by Etzkowitz e Zhou (2006). A short conceptualization of what sustainability is supports the objectives description of this project, positioning and the forces exerted by the different Helix (University, Government, Industry and Public). It has also been necessary to refer back to University expansion project context in the realm of the Brazilian Educational Suystem in order to understand the objectives, conditions and restrictions from the Universuty to actuate on the project.