International Benchmarking 1. Leading Universities in Technical Textiles Research This section presents unique collections of institutional level details along with strategic highlights based on lessons learned from the various Leading Universities in technical textiles situated in some of the developed as well as developing countries. The section would be contextually relevant for those who desire to glean insights to set Benchmark for their own Universities or economy in general as well as for policy implications by understanding the structure, the functionality, and particularly the model of some of the established Leading Universities. 1. Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen and Institut für Textiltechnik of RWTH Aachen Universityiii RWTH Aachen University is one of the Germany’s elite universities and one of the most highly recognized technical universities in Europe. With 260 institutes within nine faculties, it is one of the Europe’s leading institutions for science and engineering research. With innumerable industrial cooperation partners, the education that students receive at RWTH Aachen is firmly rooted in real-world applications. As a result, RWTH graduates are highly sought after by business and industry and one on five board members of German corporations is an alumnus of RWTH Aachen University. ITA - Institute of Textile Technology at RWTH Aachen University and Chair for Textile Machinery Main Focus: Fiber Materials, Textile Preforms and composites, technical textiles, medical textiles, textile production technology, textile testing, textile applications, quality management and simulation Research Focus: General topics: Mobility, Building and Living, Life Sciences, Energy Process chains: Technical Textiles, Textile Preforms, Nonwovens, Medical Implants, Smart Textiles Technology fields:High perfomance fibers, Man Made Fiber Processing, Yarn and fabric production, Joining and Coating Special Topics: Tribology, Recycling, Renewable Materials Specific Comptences: Simulation, Polymer Analytics, Process Analysis, Textile Economics The Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University The Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University is associated with the Department of Textile Engineering and is headed by Professor Thomas Gries. ITA is a part of the faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the RWTH. ITA is responsible for the textile-related curriculum of the ‘Plastics and Textile Technology’ discipline of study in various Bachelor's and Master's degrees in mechanical engineering at the RWTH Aachen. Their research assistants work at ITA in the field of materials, production processes and products for technical applications of textile structures. ITA GmbH acts as a technology transfer company for the ITA Group since 14 years. ITA GmbH is a partner for industries in the field of research and development. Infrastructure and Facilities The Institut für Textiltechnik of RWTH Aachen University, short ITA, has an area of 6.500m² in Aachen for its technical centre, laboratories and offices. ITA, Aachen has a fully equipped and modern technical centre with about 250 textile machines and test benches for all stages of textile processing from filament and yarn spinning to the joining of textiles. Furthermore, different laboratories (textile testing, polymer analysis) and workshops (mechanics, Elektroinik software and hardware) are staffed with technicians. ITA GmbH The ITA GmbH is not only a partner of the industry in the field of research and development but also for technology transfer to other industries. The focus areas are (technical) textiles, chemical fiber, textile machinery, fiber composites, bio-hybrid & medical textiles. With their know-how of the industry, ITA GmbH offers comprehensive solutions along the textile chain and provides assistance in the transfer. Through close collaboration with the Institute of Textile Technology and the steady growth in recent years, the ITA GmbH serves as a platform for Their customers, in the national and especially at the international level, to work together in the field of new technologies and markets. ITA Augsburg The Institute of Textile Technology Augsburg gGmbH, shortly ITA Augsburg, is the only textile research facility in Bavaria dealing with the recycling of secondary raw materials of the composite industry and the development of thermoplastic tape-based composite systems. ITA Augsburg is linked with the top research clusters in the field of Composites situated in the Augsburg region through a co-operation with the University of Augsburg. Since winter semester 2015-16, Professor Stefan Schlichter, the Managing Director of ITA Augsburg, is a professor in Mechanical Engineering at the Institute of Materials Resource Management (MRM). TexSpace The textile industry is full of innovative ideas. Textile materials, invisible to most end users, play an important role in the functionality of technologies and products in a number of industries. Textile technologies are the enabler for the modern world. Their industry has been a major driver of technological development and will continue to do so in the future. TexSpace wants to support this: Bringing textile innovations to the market faster in order to increase the speed at which innovations can be realised. Let us pursue this goal together! TexSpace is the first digital tool for innovation scouting in the field of technical textile technology. In addition to data, experts also help with the development of new technologies or business models. Learn more about Their data services or development support. Use the free access to get to know Their services and platform functions - just register here. Together with Their partner, Innoloft GmbH, and all players from industry, science and the startup scene, They look forward to producing textile innovations for a better world! RWTH Aachen University is one of Germany's Universities of Excellence. RWTH Aachen University receives the most third party research funding in engineering out of all German universities. Source: German Research Foundation (DFG). Ranking ARWU World=201-300 QS World=130 THE World=79 2. Donghua University(DHU), formerly China Textile Universityiiiiv Donghua University (DHU), formerly China Textile University, was founded in 1951. Located in the downtown area in Shanghai and adjacent to Hongqiao Economic Development Zone, DHU is one of the state-key universities directly under the Ministry of Education of China. Its feature disciplines, such as Fashion Design, Textile Engineering, International Trade, Material Science, and Information Technology have received high reputation both domestically and abroad. DHU is a multi-disciplinary university with a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs across a vast field of disciplines including engineering, economics, management, literature and art, laws, science, and education. It has 30 doctoral degree programs, and 5 postdoctoral research programs. Donghua University is in number one position in China (Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Taiwan & Macau) to study textile engineering. It is also regarded as one of the first tenth universities all over the world because of the excellent teaching team, distinguished research activities with very good laboratory facilities in textile related areas. School of Textiles at Donghua University The School of Textiles, established in 1951, has the longest history and strongest power in DonghuaUniversity. It is also one of the first series schools conferring three-level academic degrees in China. The School is the mainbody of the national key discipline, textile science and engineering. The ‘textile science and engineering’ has always been ranked No.1 inChina since it was founded. Currently, the ‘textile science and engineering’ has been granted the first-class and A+ discipline by Government. The School has the vision of a world-class textile engineering school committed to high-level education and cutting edge research. It aims to offer the best learning experience to its students, the most rewarding working environment for its faculty and staff as well as the most effective service to industry and society. The School offers the following majors for students: textile engineering, textile materials and design, biotextiles, textile composites, digital textiles, nonwovens and ancient textiles. The School has key-laboratory and engineering-center sponsored by the Ministry of Education, and a national test center approved by Certification and Accreditation Administration of China. As the top Schools of Textiles in China, the School follows the core value of ‘Practicality, Innovation, Inclusiveness, Excellence’. It strives to increase its international competitiveness and global presence through quality teaching, advanced research and close collaboration with leading universities in the world. Key Laboratory of Textile Science and Technology (KLTST) Key Laboratory of Textile Science and Technology (KLTST), Ministry of Education, China, located in Donghua University, announced its establishment on August 10 of2000, under the support of the Ministry of Education and Donghua University. Currently, KLTST has laboratory that occupies a working area of 6000 m2, and is equipped with modern instruments and equipment valued at 38 million RMB. Aiming at solving the scientific and technical issues of the textile industry, the Key Laboratory focus on the five research areas：development and utilization of fiber resources, theory and technology for textile processing; environmentally friendly textile processing, quality control in textile processing and development of advanced machinery, and design and manufacture of technical textiles. Innovative breakthroughs are made in the above mentioned areas and are published in high-level research papers and patents and have won major national research awards. During the past years, the Lab has gained remarkable achievements in scientific researches, growth of research teams, and promotion of international and domestic academic exchanges and collaborations. Key Research Centers: 1) NERC for Dyeing and Finishing of Textiles 2) New Fabrics Quick Response Center 3) 21st Century Green Fiber Research Center 4) Chemical Fiber Engineering Research Center 5) Development Center of Automotive Textile Materials 6) Textile Technology Development Centre for Building Materials 7) Technological Development Center of Agricultural Textile 8) Technology Development Center of Geosynthetics 9) Advanced Manufacturing Technique R&D Center 10) Carpet Equipment Research Center 11) Technology Development Center of Textile Material for Biomedicine 3. NC State Universityvvi North Carolina State University is a public land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 1887 and part of the University of North Carolina system, it is the largest university in the Carolinas. In 1899, NC State University’s Wilson College of Textiles started building a legacy of world-class textile education, discovery and engagement with industry and government. Their faculty and staff take Their land-grant mission to serve the great state of North Carolina very seriously and embrace change by continually reinventing how textiles positively impact Their lives locally and internationally. The Wilson College of Textiles was established to support North Carolina’s budding textile industry. Their award-winning faculty excel at innovative teaching and conduct life-changing research. We’re leading the pack on smart and high performance textiles, advanced analytics, consumer behavior and more. Their College has supported the formation of interdisciplinary teams to address society’s textile-related grand challenges, from how They protect Their armed forces and first responders and advance technologies for sustainable fashion, to how They filter the air They breathe and water They drink. Their College faculty have established groundbreaking interdisciplinary centers and institutes: The Nonwovens Institute and the Textile Protection and Comfort Center. They have led the formation of the emerging Forensic Sciences Institute. The Zeis Textiles Extension department is meeting a high-demand for professional training and fabrication and testing services by offering programs for entrepreneurs and start-up companies as well as multinational corporations. Wilson College of Textiles The Wilson College of Textiles has been a driving force of economic development in Their state. It offers unparalleled hands-on, science-based textile education through two departments, Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management and Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science. With two vibrant academic departments - Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management (TATM) and Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science (TECS) - and world renowned centers and institutes including the Zeis Textiles Extension (ZTE), the Textile Protection and Comfort Center (TPACC) and the Nonwovens Institute (NWI), the College is uniquely poised to work with Their partners to solve problems. It is ‘#1’Recognized Textiles Institution in the Worldvii. Faculty members average more than $160,000 in funding (12 percent higher than the University average of $144,000 / faculty member). The faculties and students had an outstanding 2017-18 in knowledge dissemination: 167 peer-review papers More than 200 juried exhibits / non-referred publications / presentations 13 patents and 11 patent disclosures 2 books and 13 book chapters 115 theses and dissertations The Nonwovens Institute (NWI) The Nonwovens Institute (NWI) is the world’s first accredited academic program for the interdisciplinary field of engineered fabrics. Based at the Centennial Campus of North Carolina State University in Raleigh, the NWI is an innovative global partnership between industry, government and academe. Operating on an “Open Innovation” platform, the Nonwovens Institute engages experts from industry and higher education in building next-generation nonwoven applications while also providing training and guidance to the field’s future leaders. Textile Protection And Comfort Center (T-PACC) The Textile Protection and Comfort Center (T-PACC) incorporates a comprehensive infrastructure of equipment and personnel to address the need for integrated investigations on all aspects of the protection and comfort of clothing. T-PACC is a broad base facility with unique scientific abilities that permit scientific evaluations of comfort and protection from fabric swatch level all the way to full ensemble systems. Zeis Textile Extension (ZTE) Continuing education is key to staying competitive and enjoying long-term economic success in today’s fast-paced, ever-changing marketplace. The Zeis Textile Extension Education for Economic Development Center is dedicated to promoting economic success in North Carolina and the nation by being a leading provider of professional education. Forensic Sciences Institute (FSI) With approximately $3.5 million in federal research and professional training funding over the last several years; more than 30 active faculty members across seven colleges; and a rapidly growing list of partners, collaborators, and stakeholders, the emerging Forensic Sciences Institute aims to provide step-change advances in the forensic sciences. Ranking ARWU=201–300 QS=295 THE=301–350 U.S. News & World Report=232 4. Hong Kong Polytechnic Universityviiiix With 80 years of proud tradition, PolyU is a world-class research university, ranking among the world’s top 100 institutions. Institute of Textiles and Clothing (ITC) Since its inception in 1957. ITC has developed into a world renowned institution in fashion & textile education, research and technology transfer. More than thirty thousands alumni are backbones of the fashion and textile industry in Hong Kong, China and beyond. Today, ITC is proud to have 50+ outstanding academic staff, more than 1000 talented undergraduate and postgraduate students, 17 dedicated technical and support staff, and roughly 180 project staff. ITC is a recognized world leader at the intersection of Fashion Design, Technology and Business. It is top ranked globally in Fashion & Textile Technology in terms of research performance and impact to academia and industry. Their expertise: Fashion and Textile Product Development A versatile, internationally trained design team accomplishes design and product development projects, from colTheir and trend forecasting to textile, fashion and knitwear design. Textile Technology and Testing They offer the latest technology in product development for spinning, weaving and knitting. Textile testing is based on ISO, BS, US and other standards. They also have expertise in fault investigation, arbitration services and as expert witnesses. Clothing Technology, Quality and Production Management They have extensive expertise in pattern engineering, production management, quality management systems, complete quality evaluation, fit assessment, CAD/CAM application and productivity improvement. Dyeing, Finishing and Colouration The latest global technology and expertise is offered in dyeing, printing and finishing technology, and dye-house production management, as well as in-house laboratory establishment and accreditation, product development, evaluation, colTheir control and communication. Fashion Marketing and Merchandising They provide substantial expertise in all aspects of consumer behaviour, international trade, investment studies and merchandising processes. Fashion Retailing and Promotion They offer extensive international expertise in buying, management, promotion, visual merchandising, distribution and sales forecasting. Research Centre for Smart Wearable Technology The mission of the Centre is to be the leading Research Centre in this topic area with ground breaking discoveries of new phenomena and underlying scientific principles, new materials and processes, innovative products that will greatly enhance Their life. The research will underpin the development and implementation of a new academic program “Wearable Technology” at PolyU. Over the last two decades, leading-edge research on this topic at the Institute of Textile and Clothing has resulted in several notable discoveries published in top academic journals. The ITC has the largest number of publications and citations on this topic worldwide. By multi-disciplinary collaboration, new technologies have been developed for many fields, such as healthcare, the Internet of things, smart cities, robotics, sports and the fashion industry. Examples include new fabric-sensing technologies used in smart footwear and clothing to train athletes, prevent sports injuries and help people suffering from hypertension, Parkinson’s disease, cardiovascular disease and diabetics. In addition, light-emitting fabrics with tunable color and patterns have been used to create various modes and environments in rooms and corridors. Other types of clothing can change shape and size, provide air ventilation and even actively cool its wearer in response to environmental changes. In the past twenty years, supported by Research Grants Council, Innovation and Technology Commission, industries and mainland government as well as PolyU, the team has obtained a total research grant well above 200 million Hong Kong dollars. They propose to establish a research centre for Wearable Technology to be hoisted at Institute of Textiles and Clothing in collaboration with colleagues from Applied Physics, Electric Engineering and Computing. In the past, these colleagues have had ten joint research grants, co-supervision of fTheir PhD students and over ten joint publications with the core members in ITC. Research Facilities The proposed research centre is supported by the unique state-of-art facilities, which are currently housed in various laboratories locating at MN G/F, MN 1/F, QT 8/F and W 6/F Core with the support of sufficient scientific officers and research personnel. This research infrastructure can cater for research activities on textile-based wearable technologies and evaluation for wearable electronic devices, medical devices, material synthesis and processing, sports, composites, and industrial applications. A group of multi-scale measurement and fabrication equipment is also currently housed. The measurement facilities include body figure scanner, fabric measurements for thermal and hygral, mechanical, electrical, optical, tribological and surface properties. Fabrication covers 3D printing, filament/spun yarn spinning, seamless knitting, jacquard weaving, coating, lamination, 3D coloration and laser engraving as well as environmental chambers for human evaluation. They will also use the central research facilities and other facilities at AP, EIE, HIT and BME. Fashion and Textile Technology Research in this area involves fTheir key directions: (1) Smart wearable technology, including textile based energy harvesting, conversion and storage devices, wearable photonics and electronics, fiber, flexible sensors and actuators, artificial muscle, artificial skin sensors, soft robotics, etc. (2) Textile processing and coloration technology, including bionic chromatic materials, bio-based green colorants, functional and smart textile and garment surface treatments, non-contact image-based color measurement, color communication technologies, etc. (3) Human factor & functional clothing technologies, including personal moisture and thermal management, thermoregulatory wearables, active and passive cooling, air filtration textiles, multifunctional clothing, functional compression textiles and clothing, ergonomic comfort, clothing biomechanics, etc. (4) Advanced fibrous materials & technology, including biopolymeric and biomimic materials, medical fibrous materials, auxetic textiles, super thermal conducting and isolation fibrous materials, mono-axial directional water transportation fibrous materials, air conditional fibrous materials, etc Fashion and Textile Design Research in this area involves fTheir key directions: (1) Cultural design, including fashion and textile design innovation with traditional and modern cultural elements, costume art and fashion creation, HK fashion style, fashion and textile arts, wearable arts, etc. (2) Social design, including fashion for various communities and institutions with special needs, such as business districts, care centers, hospitals, schools, and enterprises, etc. (3) Functional design, including high performance sportswear design, innovative metallic textiles design, uniform and activity wear design, interactive photonic textile design, design of wearable electronics, design ergonomics, etc. (4) Digital fashion design, including AI (Artificial Intelligence) assisted visual and pattern design, virtual fitting, 3D/4D body scanning, mobile body measurement and garment fitting, etc Fashion Business Research in fashion business involves three key directions: (1) Sustainable fashion, including slow fashion, circular fashion, sustainable consumption, green service, green supply chain, social innovation, health and safety, etc. (2) Artificial intelligence, including computer vision, image feature analysis, big data analysis, optimization, natural language programming, social media, etc. (3) Brand experience, including virtual reality, brick & mortar experience, visual merchandising, consumer psychology and behavior, omni-channel experience, service quality, etc. Knowledge Transfer ( July 2004 – June 2019 ) Patents granted: 151 (93 in the Chinese Mainland; 2 in Hong Kong; 1 in Turkey; 1 in UK; and 54 in USA) Licensing agreements: 44 Ranking Faculty of Applied Science and Textiles: 51st-100th in the subject of statistics and operational research, QS World University Rankings by Subject 2020x ARWU World: 201-300 (2020) QS World: 75 (2021) THE World: 171 (2020) 5. Indian Institute of Technology Delhixi Indian Institute of Technology Delhi is one of the Twenty Three IITs created to be Centres of Excellence for training, research and development in science, engineering and technology in India. Established as College of Engineering in 1961, the Institute was later declared as an Institution of National Importance under the “Institutes of Technology (Amendment) Act, 1963” and was renamed as “Indian Institute of Technology Delhi”. It was then accorded the status of a Deemed University with powers to decide its own academic policy, to conduct its own examinations, and to award its own degrees. Department of Textile and Fibre Engineering Founded in 1961, the department marked the establishment of IIT Delhi with a mission of conducting world-class research and providing quality education. It is the only department in the whole of IIT system and is one of the few worldwide with dedicated focus on teaching and research in textile and fibre engineering. The only department that imparts education and conducts research in all major areas of textiles vis. polymers & fibres, yarn, fabric, nonwovens and chemical processing Having contributed in creating new knowledge and developing new technologies, the department has positioned itself as one of the top institutions globally. The Department offers a B.Tech. Programme in Textile Technology and three M.Tech. programmes in Textile Engineering, Fibre Science and Technology and Textile Chemical Processing, besides offering the Doctoral programme. The departmental activities are focused on niche and futuristic area, such as technical & smart textiles, nanotechnology applications, biotextiles, engineering of functional apparel, etc. The department has tie-ups with several universities in India and abroad.!! Research Smart & functional textile material Textile materials with highly functional properties much beyond their textiles with superhydrophobicity, self cleaning activity, antimicrobial or antifungal properties, shape changing and heat or chemical storage capability.. Advanced Fibres and Films SMITA Research Lab is involved in creating composite fibres at micro and nanoscale. Various anisotropic rigid organic and inorganic nanostructures have been incorporated within different polymer systems to obtain specialty fibres like high performance, high modulus, high tenacity, conducting, carbon fibres etc. Nanostructure reinforced nanofibres The dispersion of nanomaterials in the solution/ melt is the crucial step in making of composite fibres. Investigation on incorporation of nanostructures within the fibre systems were carried out. Different solvent and polymer system like PVA/Water, PVA/Water/DMF and PAN/DMF were studied and Raman analysis confirm that the interaction with the solvent as well as the polymer system results in well dispersed and well aligned incorporation of the nanostructure. PAN nanofibers reinforced with ZnO nanorods up to 50 wt% on the weight of polymer could be readily electrospun in random and aligned configuration. Special Laboratories SMITA (Smart and Innovative Textile Materials) JATC (JATC-DRDO-IITD) Focus Incubation Centre(3D Weaving and Structural Composites) Advanced Laboratories Fibre Science and Fibre Production Textile Chemical Processing Physical Testing Fabric Manufacturing Yarn Manufacturing Laboratory Computer, Microprocessors and CAD Laboratory Fibre Science and Fibre Production Laboratory Fabric Manufacturing Laboratory Physical Testing Laboratory Yarn Manufacturing Textile Chemical Processing Lab Composite Lab Resource Centre Industrial Research & Development (IRD) The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi lays a strong emphasis on the sponsored research and industrial interaction. The Industrial Research & Development (IRD) Unit was specifically set up in the Institute to provide specialized administrative and managerial support for the operation of Sponsored Research Projects, Consultancy Jobs and other related R&D activities. Over the years, the institute has set up many modern laboratories and is continuously supporting infrastructure through these projects. Ranking QS (World) (2020)= 182 Times (World) (2020)=401-500 6. Universidade do Minhoxii University of Minho is a Public Foundation governed by private law, under the legal Regime of Higher Education Institutes. Founded in 1973, the University of Minho welcomed its first students in the academic year of 1975/76. At present, the University is renowned for its competence and quality of teaching staff, excellence in scientific research, wide range of undergraduate and graduate courses offered and for its high level of interaction with other institutions. 2C2T (Centre for Textile Science and Technology) The Centro de Ciência e Tecnologia Têxtil is a research unit of the School of Engineering of Universidade do Minho, developing research activities in the area of Fibrous Material Engineering and Design. Founded in 1978, the Centre is financed by the National Science and Technology Foundation (FCT) and recognized as Excellent in its field. The strategic project of 2C2T aims to enhance the competitive position of the European industries by building a knowledge base on science and technology of fibrous materials and processes. The research activities are developed in tune with industrial needs, involving multidisciplinary teams and are organized in two research groups: Fibrous Material Engineering and Fibre-based Product Design. The research projects are developed together with the most important worldwide universities, companies and R&D centres, in a national or international basis, guarantying the dissemination of results. Contracts within cooperation protocols with individuals and companies provide shared access to technologies, entries into proprietary research and a rapid response team for national and international initiatives. The groups explore several research approaches ranging from fundamental to applied research with special emphasis on real-world problems. The participation in international networks of experts, research institutions and European standardisation bodies opens wide chances to be in the leading edge in what concerns innovation opportunities. 2C2T goals are centered in the development of innovative solutions in strategic and emergent areas involving the textile chain: Development of new materials /products. Innovative and improved manufacturing processes, methods, equipments and integrated systems. Development of supporting technologies to materials/product engineering. Development of new design methodologies, management and product marketing. Besides research, 2C2T promotes research training leading to technology and knowledge transfer across different domains through the participation and promotion of Master and PhD Courses. Dissemination strategy includes presentation of research results through conference organization and also the establishment of cooperation protocols between the leading textile associations to promote the cooperation between the industry and university, towards sustainable competitiveness. Institute for Polymers and Composites IPC is a Portuguese research Centre of the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), hosted by the Polymer Engineering Department at Minho University. Its stated mission is to contribute to the advancement of the science and technology of polymers and composites, helping to generate added-value in the Portuguese plastics and mould-making industries, and to promote in society the awareness of the role and importance of polymeric materials. 7. Chinese Academy of Sciencesxiii The Chinese Academy of Sciences is the linchpin of China's drive to explore and harness high technology and the natural sciences for the benefit of China and the world. Comprising a comprehensive research and development network, a merit-based academic society and a system of higher education, CAS brings together scientists and engineers from China and around the world to address both theoretical and applied problems using world-class scientific and management approaches. Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (NIMTE), as a research institute affiliated to the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), was officially co-founded in 2004 by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the People’s Government of Zhejiang Province and the People’s Government of Ningbo Municipality. Later NIMTE was granted with the titles of Ningbo Institute of Industrial Technology and Zhejiang Institute of Industrial Technology respectively in 2009 and 2015 to boost local economic development. As the first state-owned research institute in Zhejiang Province, NIMTE has dedicated itself to strengthening cooperation with industries and research organizations in fields of new materials, advanced manufacturing, new energy and biomedical engineering, and to integrating research and technology with high-tech industrialization. NIMTE consists of fTheir subsidiary institutes respectively named as: Institute of Materials Technology, which mainly engages in the research on magnets, polymers, composites and functional materials, nano devices and surface engineering, as well as marine materials; Institute of New Energy Technology, which includes major research fields of solar energy and photovoltaic technology, fuel cells and technology, energy storage technology, photobiology, hydrogen technology and fundamental research of comprehensive technology; Institute of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, which involves the research on composite manufacturing and equipment, computer vision and virtual manufacturing, intelligent measurement and control, laser and energy field manufacturing, and photoelectric ceramic materials and devices; and Cixi Institute of Biomedical Engineering, which devotes to the development of material technology and engineering in medical fields. 8. Lodz University of Technologyxiv The decree that officially brought the Lodz University of Technology into being was signed on 24 May 1945. The university’s first faculties were Mechanical Engineering with Textile Engineering Unit, Electrical Engineering and Chemistry. Faculty of Material Technologies and Textile Design The Faculty was founded in the academic year 1947/48, so its history goes back for more than 60 years. It was chronologically the fourth faculty of the Technical University of Łódź. Changes at the labTheir market and new, emerging perspectives forced us to modify Their educational offer, introduce new branches of study- and as a result- change the name of the Faculty to Faculty of Material Technologies and Textile Design in 2008. Educational profile of the Faculty evolved gradually and educational offer was extended, reflecting the changes at the labTheir market. Gradually more and more attention was paid to subjects concerning biomaterials, nanocomposites, wearable electronics or advanced humanfriendly material technologies. They have taken into consideration modern trends in industrial design, new technologies and material innovations. High quality of education offered by the Faculty in Textile Engineering has been confirmed by 2 accreditation commissions. - State Accreditation Commission - Accreditation Commission of Technical Universities. The Faculty has also granted 335 PHD titles and 77 postdoctoral degrees. The main constituent academic units are: Institute of Architecture of Textiles Institute of Material Science of Textile and Polymer Composites Department of Mechanical Engineering, Informatics and Chemistry of Polymer Materials Department of Knitting Technology and Textile Machines Specializations Mechanical Textile Engineering The graduates possess knowledge and abilities concerning structure and technology of linear and flat textile products (yarns, woven fabrics, knitted fabrics and non-wovens) and metrological assessment of textiles. They are prepared to work in companies dealing with textile production, as well as in accreditation and validation laboratories. Chemical Textile Engineering The graduates possess knowledge and abilities concerning structure and technology of manmade fibers, dyeing processes, mechanical and chemical textile finishing. They are prepared to be employed in factories manufacturing man-made fibers, and companies dealing with dyeing and finishing of textiles. Science of Commodities and Textile Marketing The graduates posses knowledge and abilities concerning textile marketing, as well as identification and quality and metrological assessment of linear, flat and clothing textile products. They are prepared to be employed in textile plants, accreditation and validation laboratories, customs offices and in trade companies. Clothing Technology The graduates possess knowledge and abilities concerning pattern, technological and material designing of garments, construction of sewing machines, organization of making-up processes, designing and modelling of clothing forms and using computer techniques. They are prepared to be employed in textile companies, especially in making-up companies. Innovative technologies in Textile Engineering The graduates possess knowledge and abilities concerning modern technologiesnanotechnologies, technologies of multifunctional textiles, designing properties of polymers and fibers etc. They are prepared to work creatively in textile engineering, computer aiding of engineering works, they can also manage human resources and carry out scientific research. Engineering of quality and humanoecology of textiles The graduates possess knowledge and abilities concerning quality engineering referring to designing, producing, selling and utilization of textiles, as well as control processes. They are acquainted with ecological problems in the processes of manufacturing, chemical processing and utilization of textiles. They are prepared to be employed in textile and designing companies, research institutes, accreditation and validation laboratories. Clothing technology The graduates possess knowledge and abilities concerning designing and constructing of textile products, including special garments. They are also able to organise manufacturing processes of garments and technical products. They possess qualifications to be employed at clothing and designing companies or research institutes or they can run their own clothing company. Engineering of Textile Designing The graduates possess knowledge and abilities concerning designing textile products of determined properties and pattern effects. They are also acquainted with computer techniques in textile designing, can select the right raw material for a given product and design technology for preparing technical documentation of the product. They are prepared to work in companies dealing with textile production and designing or in research and development institutes. Textile Architecture The studies are of artistic character with some elements of technology and engineering calculations and the students are supposed to acquire broad knowledge concerning raw materials, techniques and technologies, textile modifications, design aiding techniques, drawing, sculpture, painting, multimedia and designing. The graduates possess qualifications necessary to work as textile designers. Polymer Materials Engineering The students acquire basic knowledge concerning receiving and applying polymers in modern areas of technology, fiber-forming polymers and polymer production. Graduates are prepared to be employed as engineers of polymer materials and plastics or specialists in recycling. Textile Biomaterials Engineering The students acquire knowledge concerning modern textile materials used in medicine, their structure and application in the construction of implants. Such educational background enables them to successfully undertake jobs connected with carrying out research, designing textile implants and their production technology. They can be employed in companies dealing with processing of plastics, especially composite materials, and in biomedical companies. Informatic Technologies The graduates are prepared to solve informatic problems in production companies and service sector, including controlling automated processes, managing company databases and generating applications. The knowledge acquired enables them to participate in research and construction projects. Accreditation & Ranking In 2016, TUL received, as the first technical university in Poland, the HR EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH badge which confirms that the University adheres to the principles of the "European Charter for Researchers" and the "Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers". Having this badge increases the visibility and appeal of the university as a project partner in the European research area. In the following years the university has paved its way into world university rankings such as U-Multirank, RUR or QS, and this year, in April, Lodz University of Technology, as the first university in Poland was awarded HCERES (Haut Conseil de l'évaluation de la recherche et de l'enseignement supérieur) accreditation. In the national PERSPEKTYWY ranking of Higher Education Institutions (HEI) it has been placed 4 among technical universities and as 8th best university in Poland. 9. Technische Universität Dresdenxvxvi The Technische Universität Dresden (TUD) is one of the largest “Technische Universitäten” in Germany and one of the leading and most dynamic universities in Germany. As a full-curriculum university with 18 faculties in five schools it offers a broad variety of 121 disciplines and covers a wide research spectrum. Its focuses Health Sciences, Biomedicine & Bioengineering, Information Technology & Microelectronics, Smart Materials & Structures, Energy, Mobility & Environment as well as Culture & Societal Change are considered exemplary in Germany and throughout Europe. Since 2012, TUD has been one of the “Universities of Excellence”. Competency Center “Technical Textiles” In addition to the publicly sponsored projects, numerous bilateral research projects are conducted at the Institute for Textile Machinery and High Performance Material Technology (ITM). These projects are directly financed by the industry and the results obtained from these projects are protected under confidentiality agreements. These projects include the full spectrum of the process chain of textile and ready-made technology available at the ITM, for example: Textile engineering developments and machine construction and their implementation as prototypes. Mechanical engineering solutions for technical textiles, particularly reinforcement textiles for lightweight construction and concrete reinforcement, medical textiles, textiles for automobiles, as well as protective textiles. Process innovation and new machine designs in addition to mechatronic solutions for textile and high-precision ready-made production machines. Designing textile and ready-made production machines to meet the required demands, and the modeling and simulation of processes. Modeling and simulation of machine components and devices. Experimental studies on machines and the development of application specific sensors and measuring systems. Modeling and simulation of textile stock and textile end products. Development, production and testing of innovative textile products (e.g. samples and limited-lot production). Conducting physical and chemical tests on textiles. Conducting preliminary studies and full studies on textile specific topics. Conducting trend and feasibility studies. CAE-training courses for application in the textile and ready-made technology branches. Continuing education programs over the entire value added chain for textile products. Expert opinion reports. Institute Of Textile Machinery And High Performance Material Technology Currently, ten research groups are working interdisciplinarily regarding the following research foci: Textile Processes Interprocedural Areas and Areas of Application Thus, the ITM acts as a pioneer and initiator regarding numerours cooperative projects. The ITM is a globally leading institution for innovation and education, operating along the entire process chain of high-performance materials and textiles (from atoms and molecules to fiberbased materials, combinations of materials depending on the target product, textile-based semifinished products as well as final components and products). By means of interdisciplinary and international projects performed in collaboration with proven research experts, They pursue the goal to anchor fiber-based high-performance structures and components being a customized and future-oriented material in the industry, and thus to make a significant contribution to Saxony´s economy. They consider the excellent education of today´s students and future experts Their main task to strengthen Saxony as an important economic and scientific location . Based on stateof-the-art machinery, various technical appliances and modern machine plants, Their students and doctoral candidates are actively involved in research activities. The cross-process research foci at the Institute of Textile Machinery and High Performance Material Technology of TU Dresden, which have been established between the two chairs of Textile Technology and Ready-made Technology, are divided into three main areas: “Textile Processes”, “Cross-Process Areas” and “Application Areas”. The following subsites contain further information regarding the research focus of “Application Areas”, which itself is subdivided into: Fiber-reinforced composite materials Textile construction Textile membranes and architecture Biotextiles and medical textiles Biotechnology and environmental technology Sensor and actuator structures Technical textiles and functional textiles Clothing Technical Textiles & Functional Textiles Research activities at the ITM are focused on the development of completely new technical textiles suitable for a variety of high-tech applications. These include preforms for composites, sensor and actuator structures, construction textiles, geotextiles, textiles membranes, medical textiles, safety textiles, sports textiles, and textiles with a high resistance to chemicals, heat, and electromagnetic fields. Due to the ITM’s special competence in the field of machine and process development, as well as simulation, the institute is a world leader in the area of technical textiles. Biotextiles And Medical Textiles Engineering, biology, and medicine work together at the ITM to develop products and solutions going far beyond the state of the art. Interdisciplinary co-operation with other technical areas, and representatives from medicine are the decisive foundation for a continuous research work in the following subject areas: R&D for textile-based biomedicine technology (intracorporeal products) and innovative medical textiles (extracorporeal products), machine development (modification of existing machines, construction of new machines, design of new production lines) for the production of medical textiles, material and product development (thread, structure, scaffold, implant), development of bioreactors, new test methods, and test devices, and development of biosensor and design of sensor networks. The research activities in the field of medical and biotextiles carried out at the ITM can be classified as follows: Biomedical technology Medical textiles - Textile Technology Medical textiles - Ready-made technology Ranking ARWU World=151-200 (2018) QS World=179 (2018) THE World=157 (2019) 10. Universiteit Gent Ghent University is a top 100 university and one of the major universities in Belgium. Their 11 faculties offer more than 200 courses and conduct in-depth research within a wide range of scientific domains. Ghent University Global Campus is also the first European university in Songdo, South Korea. Centre for Textile Science and Engineering The Centre for Textile Science and Engineering (formerly Department of Textiles) is known worldwide for textile research, education and testing. The Centre for Textile Science and Engineering of Ghent University is a reference in the textile world at European and global level. It is part of the Department of Materials, Textiles and Chemical Engineering of the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture of Ghent University. The textile laboratory at Ghent University was founded in 1929 by Prof. De Meulemeester and housed in the centre of Gent (SintPietersnieuwstraat 41). In the beginning, research focussed mainly on the mechanical properties of natural fibres, such as cotton and flax. Since 1 February 2017 the departments of “Materials Science and Engineering”, “Chemical Engineering and Technical Chemistry” and “Textiles” of Ghent University have merged into one new department : “The Department of Materials, Textiles and Chemical Engineering”. This new entity likely is the largest academic structure in Europe in the fields mentioned. Research Topics The Centre for Textile Science and Engineering focuses on the following research topics. Nanotechnology Artificial turf Smart textiles Functionalisation of textile materials Polymer technology The different groups cooperate with each other to develop new materials, new knowledge and scientific understanding in strong multidisciplinary research. They also work in close cooperation with various other research disciplines, including biomedical sciences, mathematical modelling, electronics, electrochemistry, sports science, medicine and many other. Technology Transfer The Centre for Textile Science and Engineering is committed to valorisation. This is the flow of new knowledge and technologies towards industrial applications. There are several patents published and They work closely with research institutions and industry to introduce new technologies as widely as possible and to find new applications. This is usually done in close cooperation with the department of technology transfer of Ghent University. Ghent University is also a founding member of the textile incubation centre (TIC) in Ronse. This centre supports start-ups and existing companies by offering them a range of services, such as the development of a business plan, the search for the first customers or the adequate technology or the production of a first prototype. If yTheir project needs financing, they can put you into contact with their professional network. They set up the necessary consortia with the right industrial partners to realize yTheir technological development in the area of textiles. lemish SMEs can turn to us for advice on technological innovation They are approved by the Flemish government to provide services for SME's (KMO's). more info: KMO erkend dienstverlener Their advice should enable SMEs to take better business decisions as to whether or not to start the next steps to innovation and on how this could happen. Technology Exploration is an initial impulse to a more detailed feasibility study or an innovative project later on. For more information visit www.iwt.be. Examples of technology exploration: Identify, analyze, examine the possible technical difficulties, or barriers influencing parameters that arise around the proposed innovation; Perform calculations, first exploratory (laboratory) tests and / or simulations; Search for appropriate technologies. Centre for Microsystems Technology (CMST) CMST is an imec (https://www.imec.be/nl) associated research lab at the Ghent university. Their research is focused on smart microsystems integration and design, They work on 6 technology platforms: Advanced packaging Stretchable microsystems Printed Photonics Polymer structuring and microfluidics Smart power Display technology The envisaged applications include telecom, wireless sensors, robotics, biomedics, bio electronics, health care, training, simulation, entertainment and smart textile. Ranking Global – Overall ARWU World=66 (2019) CWTS World=61 (2019) QS World=120 (2020) THE World=103 (2020) Best Practices Research universities are over and over again held to be one of the conditions for successful domestic economic developmentxvii. One may cite examples of the success stories of Silicon Valley and Stanford. The best practices learned from leading foreign universities are similar to the vision of New Education Policy 2020. The study suggests that many established universities are engaged in technology transfer and are regularly incentivized by federal/state governments and companies. Most high performing research universities were particularly successful in receiving grants and are supporting a huge number of doctoral and post-doctoral researches. It is also witnessed that these are single and huge university entities with an extensive research focus. They have been engaged in significant local economic development through the support of domestic organizations. It is recommended that the government and other stakeholders should increase their investment in the research universities, and with time they will perform both in research and revenue generation. In a few of these universities, knowledge spillovers are beyond geographical limitations within their country and are also engaged in cross border collaboration and knowledge transmission. It is recommended that the government should allow research universities to collaborate with foreign universities and companies with limited to no restrictions. Academic and research institutions shouldn’t have geographic boundaries. The study reflects that the local economy has captured the benefits of proximity to a research university and is clearly reflected in its activities, collaborations, and performance. It is recommended that research universities and/or their off-campus centers are located in proximity to industrial clusters. These research universities are important actors in technological change, economic development, knowledge creation and delivery, source of human capacity building, and source of technical solutions for their industry. It is recommended that government policies and budget should consider investment in research universities are an investment in the economy in general. This will help in the growth of the economy and will give a competitive advantage to the country. The university-corporate relationship and academic knowledge transfer through publishing, consulting, and the cooperation in the hiring of students and faculty have given mutual benefits and are supplemented by supportive government policies and arrangements to ensure generous investment in research and development in university research and licensing university intellectual property in the forms of patents, and promoting the formation of large universities with huge infrastructure and resources. It is recommended to foster a university-corporate relationship to the level of a win-win situation. Research university's productivity is linked with the faculty’s productivity. Institutional characteristics (number of undergraduate students enrolled, the percentage of Ph.D. students enrolled, and funding allocated for research purpose) are significantly associated with faculty research productivityxviii. It is seen that these leading universities have taken care of these parameters and are supportive of faculty research. It is recommended that the universities design their academic structure in the way to optimize faculty teaching load and allow more research time. The scientists that are contractually employed, often for a short period of time, are postdocs and Ph.D. students. They generally have more research time than their faculty counterparts. They are the principal producers of knowledge. The knowledge they produce is in the form of papers, a thesis, or a seminar. The fact that they are temporarily employed means that their specific knowledge is lost when they leave the group and are often troubled by financials. It may be recommended that the government/universities may develop suitable incentive schemes and support such scientists in a way to retain them within the system for long by making the career attractive. i https://www.academy.rwth-aachen.de/en/education-formats/msc-degree-programmes/textile-engineering : https://www.academy.rwth-aachen.de/en/education-formats/msc-degree-programmes/generalinformation/why-choose-us-rankings iii https://www.textiletoday.com.bd/donghua-university-a-leading-university-to-study-textile-engineering/ iv Source: http://english.dhu.edu.cn/95/a4/c5344a38308/pagem.htm http://cceb.dhu.edu.cn/ccebeng/KeyLaboratoryofTextileScienceandTechnology/listm.htm v Source: https://textiles.ncsu.edu/tecs/research/centers-institutes/ https://textiles.ncsu.edu/research/ vi https://www.polyu.edu.hk/itc/en/about-us/facts-figures/ vii Source: https://textiles.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Wilson-Stats-and-Strengths-Fall-2018-01.pdf viii Source: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/itc/RCSWT/research.html#patents ix Source: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/itc/en/programmes/programme-overview/ x https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2020/statistics-operationalresearch ii xi Source: http://textile.iitd.ac.in/research-detail.php?id=7 https://home.iitd.ac.in/why-iitd-student.php http://ird.iitd.ac.in/ xii Source: http://www.2c2t.uminho.pt/about-us/about-2c2t-centre-for-textile-science-and-technology/ http://www.ipc.uminho.pt/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=42&Itemid=2 xiii Source: http://english.nimte.cas.cn/au/bi/ http://english.cas.cn xiv https://www.p.lodz.pl/pl xv Source: https://tu-dresden.de/ing/maschinenwesen/itm/forschung/forschungsfelder xvi Source: https://www.ugent.be/ea/match/textiles/en/research xvii Miner, Anne S., Eesley, Dale T., Devaughn, Michael and Rura-Polley, Thekla 2001: The magic beanstalk vision: commercializing university inventions and research, in Claudia Bird Schoonhoven and Elaine Romanelli (eds.), The Entrepreneurial Dynamic. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. xviii Nafukho, F. M., Wekullo, C. S., & Muyia, M. H. (2019). Examining research productivity of faculty in selected leading public universities in Kenya. International Journal of Educational Development, 66, 44-51.
