Student turnover and "institutional fog" stifle university-industry research collaborations

New Conference Board Report

Canada could produce greater results from public-private research collaborations by taking steps to reduce student turnover, clarify university rules and offer tax credits to companies that partner with universities, according to the Conference Board of Canada. Released June 2, CBoC's seventh annual innovation report is based on interviews with 67 researchers who have led collaborative projects, including 36 from university, four from government and 27 industry collaborators.

Entitled Lessons in Public-Private Research Collaboration, the report points out that, despite common perceptions, the most significant barriers to effective collaborative research are not related to technical capabilities, nor differences in motivation, perception or culture. Rather, it concludes that the biggest problem is staff turnover - especially student researchers who do much of the work.

"Perhaps the most important and least recognized risk in successful collaborations between industry and publicly funded researchers is the continuity of students," it states. "Some professors indicated that the unexpected departure of a student could put their project back by years."

While there is no easy solution to students who choose to quit a project or leave their program early, CBoC recommends that publicly funded researchers be provided with tools and resources that will better equip them to identify which students have the required technical skills and which will thrive in a collaborative research environment.

IP FOG

Another key barrier to research collaborations is what one interviewee described as the "institutional fog" surrounding university rules related to intellectual property management, licensing and overhead costs. Collaborators within both business and academia were confused by the mixed bag of rules governing collaborations from institution to institution. Some participants said they ignore the rules altogether.

Similar challenges in the US prompted that country to pass the Bayh-Dole Act in 1980 which provides the legal framework for transferring university-generated, federally funded inventions to the private sector. No similar legislation exists in Canada.

"The comments of the interviewees suggest that perhaps the most attractive feature of the Bayh-Dole Act is not the specific approach that is taken, but the fact that there is a consistent approach. Since there is an overarching act, all public universities essentially treat IP the same way," the report states.

University technology transfer offices received mixed reviews in the survey. Some interviewees praised them for the support and level of service they provide. Others described them as "frustrating to work with and disruptive", saying a clearer approach is needed to govern how business and universities can work collaboratively. One industry collaborator suggested that the situation may improve in the future as a result of the "dramatic changes" tech transfer offices have taken over the past six months to improve how they do things.

On a less tangible front, personal chemistry and trust were cited as among the biggest factors in successful collaborations. Having internal champions within the university and the company who actively promote collaboration is identified as another critical ingredient.

At New Brunswick-based JD Irving Ltd, for example, the report notes that research/academic liaisons have been put in place to oversee research collaborations, "unlike many other organizations, which simply tack on these kinds of functions as an extra part of someone's job."

At 3M Canada, London ON, advisory committees promote regular communication between the project team and the company. The company also promotes "academic freedom of inquiry" as one of its corporate values.

TAX INCENTIVES

Among its recommendations, the CBOC report calls on the federal government to provide tax credits to companies that invest in collaborative research projects with universities, in addition to the matching public money already provided for such projects. It suggests that "incentives could be variable, based on the levels of investment (to encourage business spending on R&D) or on the number of consecutive years of collaboration (to encourage the deepening of relationships)."

Benefits of collaboration between business and publicly-funded researchers include developing new programs and disciplines, launching new business lines and creating new companies.

The report is available at www.e-library.ca.

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