Editorial - 23-13

Each year, Canadian academic institutions participate in about 15,000 research contracts, with a sizeable number undertaken with industry. The problem is, there's no aggregate data to demonstrate the extent to which industry collaborates with academia.

There's growing recognition of the importance of industrial research contracts and the benefits flowing to the private sector. These types of arrangements involve universities, colleges and polytechnics and represent real technology pull by companies seeking solutions to technological challenges that must be solved to properly serve their client base.

Arguments pitting research contracts against other types of industry-academic interaction like licencing and company spin-offs are unhelpful. All types of interactions have their place in the innovation system and academic institutions would be wise to pursue several collaborative mechanisms simultaneously.

While spin-offs and licencing agreements are time consuming and better defined as technology push, their value to the economy and society as a whole is undeniable. Universities that do these things well possess deep expertise and knowledge of what companies require and this capacity must be maintained and strengthened.

At the same time, we need to quantify the volume, types and circumstances of industrial research contracts so that their contribution to innovation can be better understood. Academic institutions should work with Industry Canada and Statistics Canada to develop the policies and metrics to maximize their impact.