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Table 3.3. Responsible Partnership Guidelines for Collaborative Research

Note: Partners of the initiative include the European Industrial Management Research Association, the European Association of Research and Technology Organisations, the European University Association and ProTon Europe.

Source: www.responsible-partnering.org

Funding and fee-based research

Large companies have usually the resources to carry out R&D but they tend to be risk adverse and limit themselves to incremental technologies. There are considerable differences across types and classes of companies in their approach towards external R&D providers, such as universities and R&D organizations. A critical issue is the fee structure to be applied in this relation. There is a need to balance:

•What the private sector is prepared to pay for high quality outsourced R&D; and

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•What can reasonably be supported through funding applications by research institutions.

Curriculum development

Developing a closer link between education and the needs of the economy requires adapting the educational offer (both in terms of specialization and content), to the changing demands of the labour market (Box C3.4.). Actions that can be taken in this area include:

•Harmonization of various vocational education systems (for example, through a National Qualifications Framework based on the outcomes of the learning process);

•Development of the educational and career advisory system;

•Active participation of employers in the development and implementation of educational plans;

•Increased competence in technical disciplines, such as mathematics and natural sciences;

•Developing management and commercialization skills of R&D staff; and

•Awareness initiatives in the industry that develop links with academia.

Box C3.4. Human capital development and innovation

Denmark

The Globalisation Strategy “Progress, Innovation and Cohesion”, presented in March 2006, introduced a number of reforms to enhance the innovative potential of research. The number of PhD scholarships and so-called ‘industry PhDs’ is to be doubled, especially within areas like natural science, technical development, ICT and health studies. Basic funding of universities is to be distributed according to the quality of research. Universities will compete annually for large, longterm research projects. Quality is to be evaluated by international, independent, expert panels. Universities are to be given more flexibility as regards recruitment of researchers.

Poland

The Priority IV of the Human Capital Operational Programme 2007-2013 (“Tertiary education and science”), targets the improvement of the performance of tertiary education institutions. The analysis of the condition of Polish higher education serves to identify deficiencies, develop effective tools for management and ensure high quality of education. Mobility and openness is expected from the modernization of teaching methods and curricula. The programme envisages the development of educational programmes in the field of industrial property protection, industrial design and R&D marketing. Implementation of the objectives of the Priority is also supported by university development programmes. The programmes might cover a series of issues selected by a given university (like the development of the educational offer, including e-learning, improvement of the staff, organization of traineeship and practices for students, cooperation with employers and scientific entities in the scope of implementation of the learning process and international cooperation).

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The role of public-private partnerships

Public-private partnerships (PPP) in the area of research and innovation can be a useful instrument to bridge the gap between research/education and industry (Box C3.5.). PPPs can address a number of issues:

•The need to undertake multidisciplinary research;

•Funding of activities that have no immediate commercial impact; and

•Creation of linkages between various stakeholders, with implications for their respective R&D programmes.

The success of these initiatives requires:

•Anchoring joint efforts in existing technological capabilities to develop them further;

•A long-term vision; and

•Appropriate governance mechanisms are essential, both to provide leadership and to address any conflicts that may emerge.

Box C3.5. Public-Private Partnerships for Innovation20

France

The Networks of Research and Technological Innovation aim to prepare strategic technological projects, with the involvement of the public sector and industry. They aim to involve public and private laboratories in the joint implementation of common projects and encourage the participation of SMEs in these activities. The networks are organized along sector lines, including Audio and Multimedia, Software and Telecommunications.

The Netherlands

The Technological Partnerships Scheme provides subsidies for technological projects by corporate alliances or partnerships between companies or between companies and research institutes aimed at fundamental/industrial research or pre-competitive development. The Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) seeks to translate scientific knowledge into applied knowledge that is useful for the private sector and government agencies. The contributions of the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ TNO are contingent on the extent to which the private sector is prepared to support TNO research projects.

Hungary

The Péter Pázmány Programme has established Regional Knowledge Centres (RKC) to exploit research and development results in close cooperation with the industrial sector. The Programme is managed by the National Office for Research and Technology. The goal of these centres is to encourage cooperation with companies and other research organizations to manage innovative projects, focused on research and development at an international level. The programme seeks to support closer relations between public research organization and industry while stimulating regional technological and economic development.

20 Source: www.telecom.gouv.fr; OECD, Public Private Partnerships for Research and Innovation: An Evaluation of the Dutch Experience, 2004; www.nkth.gov.hu.

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Management structures in higher education for establishing links with the business sector

University teaching activities increase labour force qualifications. In addition, students may become entrepreneurs. Higher education institutions can make a direct contribution to business development through specific management structures:

•Science and technology parks centred in universities, that provide support to would-be student-entrepreneurs (see Chapter IV);

•Offices dedicated to building outreach programmes for linking with development agencies, business, other regional institutions and in some cases local governments; and

•Technology transfer centres.

These initiatives often receive public funding from national and regional programmes (Box C3.6.). Local programmes may include:

•Development of science parks with or without pre and full incubation (Chapter IV);

•Consultancy services which include the use of university equipment;

•Expert advice services which do not include the use of university equipment; and

•Industrial professional training programmes in which students spend up to one year in a company or organization as part of their undergraduate degree programmes.

Box C3.6. Partnering and mobility between academia and industry

United Kingdom

The Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) is a programme facilitating the establishment of collaborative partnerships between universities and business supported by government grants. KTP is one of the longest standing and most successful programmes, being open to both SMEs and larger companies. A high quality graduate is recruited to work on a specific project that the company partner has identified as central to its needs and development. During this time, they have significant training opportunities including the chance to take a Masters degree or PhD. The graduate (known as a KTP Associate) will spend the majority of their time based at the company, although legally employed by the university on a fixed term contract. Each KTP may involve one or more Associates and last between one and three years. The application procedure is quick and a grant offer is usually received within six weeks of applying. Support is provided by the host university throughout the application procedure and the duration of the project.

Portugal

The INOV Jovem Programme was launched as a way of motivating young entrepreneurs and companies to get involved in processes of training and internships. Its objective is to promote the training of young business people, to encourage the innovation processes and to nurture growth and stability in employment. The Programme seeks to find a placement for young administrators in the management and innovation areas of SMEs. It is a programme developed within the Technological Plan, which supports the integration in SMEs of young professionals up to 35 years of age, with academic qualifications in areas considered critical for innovation and entrepreneurship development.

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France

Researchers are allowed to quit universities and laboratories to create a new venture based on their work since 1999. They can go back to university if desired. Between 2000 and 2005, 844 enterprises have been created by researchers in France, through academic incubators. Recently a new type of company, called “Young Academic Enterprise”, allows significant advantages to encourage business creation by researchers and students.

Spain

A recent reform of the Organic Law of Universities allows University staff to leave their posts for up to five years without losing civil servant status if they are hired by technology-based firms.

Developing companies from university/research activities

The creation of formal structures to support spin-out companies from universities and other public research organizations (PRO) is relatively new. However, the available evidence points to some successes in this area, although these remain limited in relation to the number of companies being formed. As part of innovation and regional development policies, these activities have commonly received strong endorsement by the public sector, as part of innovation and regional development policies.

In order to create and maintain the necessary culture, infrastructure and environment for new companies to set up and thrive, the emergence and development of these spin-outs requires close interaction between:21

•PROs

•Local/regional governments

•Private sector.

The commercialization of research outputs through spin-out companies may give rise to tensions between teaching/research, on the one hand, and entrepreneurship/ commercialization, on the other hand. Balancing these equally important roles needs to be appropriately managed by:

•Setting a suitable system of incentives; and

•A flexible distribution of tasks and resources that is generally perceived as fair.

21 Expert group report (2004). Management of intellectual property in publicly-funded research organizations: Towards European Guidelines, accessed at http://ec.europa.eu/research/era/pdf/iprmanagementguidelinesreport.pdf.