A recent report entitled, The Higher Education Knowledge Exchange System in the United States [2] commissioned by the Higher Education Funding Council for England form Public & Corporate Economic Consultants, will be of interest to colleagues following US practices in this area, and linked to aspects of PASCAL work in the PURE project.
The foreword from David Sweeney, HEFCE Director, Research, Innovation and Skills says:
It can be very hard to shake established myths, particularly if they fit into the overall national psyche. In this country, one of our big myths is that we are brilliant at research but poor at commercialising that research. Our entrepreneurial American counter-parts in contrast are outstanding at making money.
This latest research paper from PACEC/CBR - ‘The Higher Education Knowledge Exchange System in the US’ - goes some way towards debunking these myths. US universities play an enormously important part in American society, engaging with their local communities and helping their local areas to develop. And we are just as good at research commercialisation as US higher education, and indeed our academics may have gone further than in the US in embracing the importance of engagement with the economy and society in their core practices.
Adding value to the economy and society through knowledge exchange (KE) though is complex and hard work. There are no easy answers, and US universities are looking at good practices from this country, just as much as we are looking for answers from them. This includes the need for a professional infrastructure for KE activity. Engaged and entrepreneurial academics, as we have in the UK, are a critical component to success, but they and their institutions need professional KE people to ensure that efforts are efficient and effective – and partnerships with businesses and others are sustainable for the long-term.