Insights
The results of the study were a source for new insights in European UBC. Some of the key insights into European UBC from the entire study are summarised as follows
Insight
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Multiple UBC actors need to work cooperatively and in an integrated manner to affect and increase UBC
There are many actors playing a role in UBC including actors that are not subject to the present survey (e.g. regional development agencies, politicians, students, businessmen and managers). The cooperation between science and industry will turn out to be successful only if all actors positively perceive, develop and drive their respective areas of responsibility and parts.
If only one of the actors does not perform actively, the disruptive influence might be considerable enough to inhibit the whole momentum causing new obstacles, disappointments and blockades. UBC is a very complex ecosystem. All actions need to be handled simultaneously at all levels and actors have to be addressed as a whole.
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Insight
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UBC is complex and integrated
In order to have a complete view of UBC, one cannot only concentrate on certain aspects of the UBC ecosystem; since many factors and cause variables are closely linked and dependant on each other affecting positively or negatively. Rather, an integrated approach involving many elements of the UBC ecosystem is required. The benefit of this is that development or activity in one element of the ecosystem is likely to benefit others.
Because of this integration however there is no easy or fast method for improving UBC. Instead understanding the elements in the ecosystem and how they interrelate, then having patience and persistence should be the hallmarks of an integrated approach to improving UBC.
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Insight
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The focus of UBC should be on the relationships between the academic and the business
The focus of activities to foster UBC should be on researchers and teaching staff, the actual players within the HEI involved in UBC relationships. Without their passion and inner drive, there would be no UBC. Therefore, all measures and corresponding effects should aim to target academics with the impact to be validated internally within the HEI.
In the marketing of products and services, a ‘pull’ technique is always preferable to a ‘push’ system. Comparatively, ‘push’ techniques in UBC are the least successful techniques to encourage UBC within academics. The degree of development of ‘pull’ techniques such as incentive systems targeting academics is still very low; showing that there is still much room for improvement. For that purpose, additional levers such as recruiting, rewarding, promoting, providing incentives or fostering contract frameworks can be used to motivate academics to cooperate.
The belief that UBC is a ‘people business’ is also supported in a growing body of literature. Authors like Hughes, Link, Abreu, Dooley and Kirk argue that the key to successful knowledge transfer is a process of continuous dialogue, a build-up of social networks . This success is a function of development of strong personal (as opposed to institutional) relationships over time which leads to the creation of trust (a key element in entrepreneurial activity). It has even been argued that too much focus upon transactional mechanisms such as licenses and patents may distract from the development of personal intimacy and trust.
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Insight
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UBC is closely connected with mind-set, attitude and willingness.
UBC is founded on an attitude or a mind-set rather than on isolated factors. It is driven by intrinsic and psychological elements (trust, mutual commitment, shared goals) rather than by rules (e.g. commercial orientation) or quantifiable elements (e.g. funding, access to knowledge and recourses).
Likewise, age, gender, experience and background also represent factors that are based on human elements than on rationality.
Those academics remaining inactive do not see the benefits for UBC and therefore will see the need for action to be outside their own area of responsibility. People with a high degree of UBC activity will instead recognise benefits and identify drivers finding ways to make it happen.
Thus, in order to increase cooperation within the academic ranks, HEIs have to create a positive environment, communicate advantages, demonstrate best practice, use role models and establish a series of appropriate incentives, and reward systems.
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Insight
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There is a difference in development between those types of UBC with clearly measurable, direct and potentially large financial benefits and those without.
For both academics and HEIs, those types of UBC providing more measurable, direct and potentially large financial benefits for either the HEI or the students have a higher level of development than those providing benefits academically or a more indirect contribution. This is evident in the greater development of R&D cooperation and commercialisation as well as mobility of students compared to those cooperation types providing indirect and long-term benefits within the HEI such as curriculum development and delivery, mobility of academics and governance.
Finding methods for firstly measuring or benchmarking the second group of UBC cooperation types would provide an approach for managing the development of these cooperation types. Further, by creating mechanisms that encourage and reward these ‘indirect’ UBC types, the HEI can create the required drivers for UB activity in these types.
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Insight
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In terms of income, only a small part of third party-funds derives from cooperation with business.
The extent of UBC undertaken in Europe is generally low and only very few HEIs derive a high amount of third-party-funds from companies. Whilst the amount may differ depending on the type of HEI, there clearly is too little income being earned through UBC. Money is not necessarily a success factor but it is an indicator of the authenticity and substance of cooperation.
Contrastingly, the largest part of the third-party-budget derives from public funding of the EU or national programmes. That means that there is still a reliance on public funding and therefore substantial room for development in this aspect.
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Insight
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Removing barriers is not enough: UBC drivers and the presence of obvious benefits (motivators) are also needed to foster UBC. Further, these drivers and benefits also have to be obvious to the academics.
Previous studies have focused too much on barriers and too little on drivers. It must be emphasised that clearing the path of barriers (obstacles) alone would not be enough. Even if there were no barriers, development in UBC would not occur. Only by the existence of drivers and a demonstration of the benefits for all involved parties can the momentum in UBC be created.
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