Five ways universities drive innovation

Our latest Policy Briefing focuses on the five ways that universities drive innovation.  Universities have traditionally had three main missions: undertaking research; teaching; and transferring knowledge. The UK’s increasing need to innovate to meet the economic and social challenges of the 21st century will place further pressure on these roles, but importantly will also introduce two more – universities’ international and regional missions.

Universities increasingly provide important national and regional links into the global knowledge economy. They exchange knowledge, gather intelligence and facilitate international flows of highly-skilled people who, in turn, create and attract high value-added businesses. As powerful institutions with well-connected and highly-educated leaders, they are also important actors in regional networks, and help lead the design and delivery of economic development strategies.

However, few universities can excel in all five roles. Each must choose where to concentrate its efforts depending on its strengths and regional requirements. Government should encourage greater interaction between universities and the wider economy and society, and ensure that research funding encourages innovation.

As ever, I'd welcome any comments on this publication....

Comments

[Maxine J Horn]

Government does encourage the commercialisation of research results. However some University PhD's are not commercially focused or possessing of the skills and contacts required to commercialise research results. University staff engaged for that purpose (Knowledge and Technology Transfer Officers; New Business Managers and IP staff) often struggle to get the co-operation of their PhD's.

So 'encouragement' may not be enough.

A potential means of ensuring commercialisation of research results are assessed and thoroughly explored would be to build in a mandatory requirement of the research bid to assign a proportion of the research budget to engaging external translators of results into potential market applications. The strategic design community could play an excellent role in this regard with the added bonus being their own client portfolio which thereby offers direct opportunity to act as a bridge to industry.

[George Whitehead]

You say in your publicaton that 'Few institutions can excel in all 5 roles' and therefore they should concentrate on a few drivers to innovation that they are particularly good at.

I would like to see the institutions set the task (or at least have the ambition) of exceling in all 5. I have concerns that by concentrating efforts in one area (at the expense of another) you will just carry on with the status quo...because surely that is what is happening already?