Preparing for Tomorrow’s CRISUCRISU-CUPT CONFERENCE
Research Innovation and Leveraging the Results
in Academia-Industry Cooperation
First Hand Experiences and Trends
Mervyn Levin
The Research and Commercial Interface
Some Current Activities – 2012
• Assessing Suitability For Government Funded
Innovation e.g. Digital Industries, Creative
Industries, SMEs, Cloud Computing
USD 75 million
• Monitoring Portfolio 25 Collaborative R&D Projects
e.g. Digital, Creative, Construction, Manufacturing
USD 35 million
Selection of Academic Partners and Clients
China
Govt.
Selection of Industry Partners and Clients
Selection of Industry Partners and Clients
Thailand (NSTDA/NECTEC) and Indonesia (BPPT)
ICT Research Innovation Priorities EU SEACOOP
Red=Common to Both Countries, Black=Thailand Only, Blue=Indonesia Only
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Information Security
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Embedded Systems
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E-Learning Technologies
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Open Source/Open Standards
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Low Cost Computing and
Inclusive/Accessible Computing
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RFID
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Digital Libraries
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Environment/Energy
Management
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E-Health
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Robotics and Automation
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Intelligent Vehicular and Mobility
Access
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Next Generation Computing
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Grid Computing
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Web Technologies
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Wireless Broadband/Sensor
Networks
UK Landscape For Research Innovation
Technology Readiness Level:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Universities
Technology Innovation Centres (Catapults) / Institutes
Industry
Research
Centre
Industry
TIC /
Institute
(Large & SME’s)
University
Mapping the Landscape from Research Through to Challenge Areas
For Each Key Technology and Application Area
Research
excellence
RCUK
Research Centres
RCUK , charity &
other centres and
institutes (IMRC’s
IKC’s EIT’s etc)
Technology & Innovation
Centres
- Existing
- Proposed
- Potential
RTO’s etc
Other
organisations in
the area.
Industrial
R&D Centres
Major R&D
centres &
incubators
Industry Commitment
UK Priorities
-Opportunities for UK
- Willingness to
co-invest
- Low Carbon
-Digital Economy
- Energy
- Health/Medicine
UK Government Technology Strategy Board
Types of Research Innovation and Funding
Commercialisation
Prod. Prototype
System Qual.
System Dev.
Technology Demo
Technology Development
Feasibility
Blue sky
Research
Councils
BAS
APP
EXP
Research Council + others + Technology Strategy Board Funding
Market readiness
Commercial Investment
Venture Capital
Some Mechanisms for Stimulating
Research and Commercial Collaboration
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Collaborative Research and Development
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
Secondments
Internships
Knowledge Transfer Networks
Science Parks
Incubators, e.g. Entrepreneurship
What Do Academics Want from Industry?
• Peer recognition
• Real world experience
• Intellectual property
• Making their students employable with appropriate skills
What Does Industry Want from Universities?
• Research
• Legitimacy
• ‘Free’
• Talent (plus ‘creative cool’ / underground subculture) to
provide commercial edge
Facilitating University-Industry Collaboration
(or why it doesn’t need to be difficult)
• Business ‘Dating’
• Power of Referral of Students Working in Industry
• Mentors
• At Least 50% of University Staff Working Part-Time in Industry
1st Hand Lessons
Overseeing Business-Led R&D with Universities
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Complementary of Skill Sets in Rich Learning Setting
Trust
Mutual Understanding of Objectives and Expectations
Clarity of Project Deliverables
Protection and Exploitation of Intellectual Property
Upfront Agreement on Dispute Resolution
How Can Universities Position
Themselves to Work with Industry?
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Academics wearing Multiple ‘Hats’
Attract Sponsorship
Developing Joint Funding Bids
Reshape Curricula with Cross-Disciplinary Approach
Why Adopt a More Cross-Disciplinary Approach?
Industry and Policy Drivers
– Digitisation of Society
– New Educational Approaches
– Ageing Society
– Climate Change
Why Adopt a More Cross-Disciplinary Approach?
Research Innovation and Technology Transformations
– Knowledge Curation/Search (Bio Science and ICT)
– 3D Printing (Nano, Electronics, Materials Engineering, Design)
– Visualisation, Simulation, Interactivity (ICT, Media, Art, Pedagogy)
– Internet of Things (Sensors, Data Science, Social Sciences)
– Big Data (Information Management across Physical and Social Sciences)
CONCLUSIONS
New Approaches to
Education and Research
Imperative for Innovation
Collaborations
Between Industry and Universities
Have a Positive and Significant Impact
on Industry Innovation
Advisory Services to Universities
Enhance Research Capacity, Capability to Work with Industry
and Links with Universities in Europe
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Contribute to Development of More Interdisciplinary Curricula
Industry Trends Shaping University Curricula
Facilitate New Partnerships with Universities in Europe
Bring Experts from Europe
Share Case Studies of University-Industry Collaboration
Deliver Domain Knowledge, e.g. digital content, innovation, creative
economy, games, programme management in collaborative environments
• Proposal Writing for Funding Bids in International Programmes
Contact
Mervyn Levin
Founding Director, Levering Ltd
Innovation Think Tank
E-mail mervyn.levin@gmail.com
LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/mervynlevin