University-Industry Collaboration for Innovation and Human Resource Development Neşe Yalabık Middle East Technical University Ankara, Turkey

OUTLINE Introduction:Why collaborate? Collaboration Types and Instruments Necessary Conditions for Collaboration R&D and Innovation HEI/Industry Relations in the World Turkey Initiatives Issues and Challenges Conclusions

INTRODUCTION: WHY COLLABORATE? Before 80’s and 90’s, university-industry relations were undesirable, unnatural and even inappropriate,especially among students It is understood well today that knowledge-intensive economies can only compete with: Highly qualified,well educated personnel able to continue educating in their lifetime Innovation systems that are able to transfer the knowledge and creativity into successful products Both requiring tight collaboration between the Higher Education Institutions (HEI) and Industry.

WHY COLLABORATE? Motivations for collaborating for Faculty: Extra income Seed money for research Better teaching through industry experience Satisfaction of their work is used for economic needs of Country Motivations for Industry: More profits, less taxation Personnel educated towards their needs

COLLABORATION TYPES AND INSTRUMENTS Summer Practices Coop Programs Graduate programs Lifelong Learning Curriculum Development Education Ind. or gov. Supported projects Endowed chairs Basic Research Incubators Joint Research centers Technoparks Applied Research & Innovation Measurement Labs Consultation Service

NECESSARY CONDITIONS FOR COLLABORATION Research and Teaching Capacities of the HEI An Industry involved in R&D/staff development Existence of government initiatives Government investment on R&D Tradition, culture and reward systems

R&D and INNOVATION Basic Research: ‘Theoretical and experimental work to acquire new knowledge without any concern of any applications’ Applied Research & Invention: ‘An original conception of a new device, product or process and the transformation of the knowledge gained in basic research to the solution of a specific problem’ Innovation: ‘The exploitation of new ideas and whole process from invention to diffusion’

Roles in Innovation HEI Industry Innovation is the complete process of ideas turning to products. How are these steps shared among HEI/Industry? How are they funded? How are the products licenced? Are the basic issues.. HEI Industry Development Idea Technology Transfer Diffusion

HEI/Industry RELATIONS IN THE WORLD HEI/Industry Relations may be traced back to mid 19th century Used to be mostly concentrated in few countries and few regions in the world Developed countries: More R&D linkages Developing countries: More education related activities due to: not enough researchers, not enough tech base but mostly tech transfer from developed countries, lacking national initiatives and strategies

HEI/Industry RELATIONS IN THE WORLD (cont.) As a result of Globalization and rise of Knowledge Economy: Knowledge and technology transfer moved forefront in policy making New models and approaches were developed in the last 30 years Spread to all countries and regions All countries are trying to get national strategies and systems for innovation and R&D (Government initiatives) An upward trend in developing countries In a study by UNESCO* (2000), 12 universities from 12 developing countries were examined, showing a significant growth not only in numbers but also in the scope and type of relations.

Examples of New Types of Relations Practice Schools: Bridges the gap between theory and practice. Longer and more into real projects compared to traditional summer practices e-learning for Continuous Education: Fast developing trend. Facilitates regional development Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs Technology innovation centers, incubators and SME developments National Systems of Innovation: Innovation moves from a single organization like a firm. New models emerge Economic Development mission by the Universities Growing number and scope of technoparks and science parks (more than 450 in all over the world now)

New Innovation Models Triple-helix: Knowledge-based economic model. No rigid roles but each may take the role of each other in the innovation process. Various ways such as top-down, bottom up. Regional and multinational approaches “Knowledge spaces”, “innovation spaces” where ideas and experiments are created by joint ventures Evaluation mechanisms include “networking” Networks formed not on a regional basis but in knowledge bases

TURKEY INITIATIVES Before 90’s… No significant interaction University Revolving Funds - not effective in R&D since no industry involved in R&D Technology transfer from developed countries Limited interaction, mostly in form of education

TURKEY INITIATIVES 90’s… 1989: Tax deferment law for R&D expenditures 1990: KOSGEB. Government Initiative. Technology centers in 12 universities 1991: TTGV (Turkish Technology Development Fund) Non-governmental organization, supported by Worldbank; 1998: TIDEB: University-Technology Development Centers 2001: Technology Development Areas law Today: There are more than 15 technoparks in university campuses

TURKEY INITIATIVES In a report by EU among 7 countries preparing to enter to EU, Turkey is found to be the most prepared country institutionally in UIR. 'Innovation policy in seven candidate countries: the challenges' European Commission, Enterprise DG (2002) “only Turkey has an institutional structure with a long tradition of policy development in the field of innovation. In addition, there are no government agencies with a direct remit for innovation policy in any of the seven countries except Turkey.”

TTGV and TIDEB Activities Objective: To support firms in R&D activities in product development/improvement to raise the awareness toward R&D, by project financing. Role of university: Active referees and consultants. More support if the firm is in a Technopark Member of TAFTIE, a grouping of European organizations involved in similar activities. Success rate: High, 73% of projects achieved their goals 52% of consultants are from universities 73% SME’s, 53% 0-10 years old TIDEB: similar but government initiative, donation; supported by TTGV

KOSGEB TEKMER: University Incubators Technology Development Centers: active in 12 public universities Objective: To support young enterpreneurs and start-up companies with government funds Provides space, university facilities and seed money for equipment Budget: Approx. 200M US$ Highly successful operation; ‘graduate’ in 2 years and move to Technopark Latest trend: Academicians establishing their own firms in TEKMER.

ISSUES & CHALLENGES Issues: Academia less supported for basic research Academic culture of western-based “elite” universities do not match the needs of the country Academic values threatened Challenges: Social implications: Trust Professionalism Awareness Commitment New assessment/appraisal criteria in universities

CONCLUSIONS “Knowledge and Technology Transfer” is a forefront issue in policy making activities for economic development and competition A trend in forming national innovation systems and other means to realize it HEI, Government and Industry should form much more intervened relations.