Explain the interaction
between science, technology and business. How do these interactions affect
industrial growth? Give suitable examples.
Ans :The pressure on universities and research institutes to increase their direct contributions
to societal needs has grown significantly over the past two decades. This is particularly
true in terms of their contribution to economic growth. The expectation is that
a more effective co-operation between science and the business sector will lead to
an improved performance of the national economy and eventually to the generation
of new jobs. Indeed, scientific studies show unambiguously that there is a positive
impact of synergies between the two sectors on the generation of groundbreaking
innovations and technological and economic advancement of the society. Improving
the interactions between universities/research institutes and enterprises thus is a
central issue in all current innovation policy strategies of the Federal and Länder governments.
Knowledge transfer should be a strategic goal of universities and research institutes
and must be supported by the respective management. Every institution that
strives for an intensified co-operation with enterprises should implement a compliant
institutional strategy that defines the academic units in which knowledge transfer
should be a major task that shapes or significantly contributes to the profile of
that unit. Moreover, the institutional strategy should define the preferred form(s) of
co-operation (i.e. strategic partnership, spin-offs, licenses etc.), the class of business
that is the preferred target and the conditions that should apply for co-
• Engagement in knowledge transfer must be worthwhile for the institution as well as
the individual scientist performing the transfer. Transfer activities must be remunerated
adequately in performance-based allocations of funds. This applies to the
allocation of institutional funding of the universities by the Länder governments as
well as internal remuneration systems within the scientific institutions. Moreover,
the existing policies and procedures concerning the private income of scientists
who actively engage in transfer activities should be made more flexible in order to
provide an additional incentive for such activities. The goal should be to develop
knowledge transfer into a task that allows scientists to gain reputation from such
activities.
• Technology transfer offices and patent exploitation agencies have to be strengthened
in their options for action as well as institutional mandate and standing. They
need a clearly defined profile of tasks which has to be aligned to the specific institutional
strategy regarding knowledge transfer. Patent exploitation agencies should
set strategic priorities regarding their area of expertise in certain technology sectors
and co-operate and share their expertise and competences with the technology
transfer offices of the universities and research institutes. They should be
evaluated regularly and their support by public funds should be based on performance.
The public support should have the ultimate goal to develop patent exploitation
agencies into profit centres in the long run. Technology transfer offices should
directly report to the management of the university/research institute and be the
central player in all communication concerning the institutional knowledge transfer
strategy for external partners. In order to be effective, technology transfer offices
and patent exploitation agencies must have adequate and professional staffing.
• The funding of projects in the proof-of-concept phase should be expanded in order
to improve the development of academic research results into marketable new
products and processes. The Science Council suggests a fund financed jointly by
public and private investors which supports projects that are suitable to close the
gap between academic research and economic innovation.
• The Science Council sees particular opportunities for the scientific as well as the
business side in long-term strategic partnerships between academic institutions
and private firms. Such partnerships are characterised by collective financing and
implementation of research programmes as well as collective definition of goals.
They should be further developed on a broader basis and be supported from all
stakeholders.
• The Science Council welcomes the fact that the support of clusters is an integral
part of all innovation strategies of the Federal and Länder governments. It recommends
implementing stringent conditions for the selection process of clusters to be
supported by public funds. Direct financial cluster support by public funds should
be restricted to the establishment and support of a professional cluster management
structure. The direct support of clusters must always be accompanied by an
optimisation of local conditions i.e. in terms of infrastructure and investment incentives.
Ans :The pressure on universities and research institutes to increase their direct contributions
to societal needs has grown significantly over the past two decades. This is particularly
true in terms of their contribution to economic growth. The expectation is that
a more effective co-operation between science and the business sector will lead to
an improved performance of the national economy and eventually to the generation
of new jobs. Indeed, scientific studies show unambiguously that there is a positive
impact of synergies between the two sectors on the generation of groundbreaking
innovations and technological and economic advancement of the society. Improving
the interactions between universities/research institutes and enterprises thus is a
central issue in all current innovation policy strategies of the Federal and Länder governments.
Knowledge transfer should be a strategic goal of universities and research institutes
and must be supported by the respective management. Every institution that
strives for an intensified co-operation with enterprises should implement a compliant
institutional strategy that defines the academic units in which knowledge transfer
should be a major task that shapes or significantly contributes to the profile of
that unit. Moreover, the institutional strategy should define the preferred form(s) of
co-operation (i.e. strategic partnership, spin-offs, licenses etc.), the class of business
that is the preferred target and the conditions that should apply for co-
• Engagement in knowledge transfer must be worthwhile for the institution as well as
the individual scientist performing the transfer. Transfer activities must be remunerated
adequately in performance-based allocations of funds. This applies to the
allocation of institutional funding of the universities by the Länder governments as
well as internal remuneration systems within the scientific institutions. Moreover,
the existing policies and procedures concerning the private income of scientists
who actively engage in transfer activities should be made more flexible in order to
provide an additional incentive for such activities. The goal should be to develop
knowledge transfer into a task that allows scientists to gain reputation from such
activities.
• Technology transfer offices and patent exploitation agencies have to be strengthened
in their options for action as well as institutional mandate and standing. They
need a clearly defined profile of tasks which has to be aligned to the specific institutional
strategy regarding knowledge transfer. Patent exploitation agencies should
set strategic priorities regarding their area of expertise in certain technology sectors
and co-operate and share their expertise and competences with the technology
transfer offices of the universities and research institutes. They should be
evaluated regularly and their support by public funds should be based on performance.
The public support should have the ultimate goal to develop patent exploitation
agencies into profit centres in the long run. Technology transfer offices should
directly report to the management of the university/research institute and be the
central player in all communication concerning the institutional knowledge transfer
strategy for external partners. In order to be effective, technology transfer offices
and patent exploitation agencies must have adequate and professional staffing.
• The funding of projects in the proof-of-concept phase should be expanded in order
to improve the development of academic research results into marketable new
products and processes. The Science Council suggests a fund financed jointly by
public and private investors which supports projects that are suitable to close the
gap between academic research and economic innovation.
• The Science Council sees particular opportunities for the scientific as well as the
business side in long-term strategic partnerships between academic institutions
and private firms. Such partnerships are characterised by collective financing and
implementation of research programmes as well as collective definition of goals.
They should be further developed on a broader basis and be supported from all
stakeholders.
• The Science Council welcomes the fact that the support of clusters is an integral
part of all innovation strategies of the Federal and Länder governments. It recommends
implementing stringent conditions for the selection process of clusters to be
supported by public funds. Direct financial cluster support by public funds should
be restricted to the establishment and support of a professional cluster management
structure. The direct support of clusters must always be accompanied by an
optimisation of local conditions i.e. in terms of infrastructure and investment incentives.
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