On Industry-Academia Linkages – How universities and industry can collaborate

Source: The post on Industry-Academia Linkages has been created on the article “How universities and industry can collaborate” published in “The Hindu” on 30th November 2023.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2 Social Justice – Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education.

News: The article discusses the various challenges in establishing beneficial industry-academia linkages and offers solutions for the same.

What are the current impediments to collaborations between industry and academia?

Most Indian higher education institutions (HEIs) have not focused on collaborations in technology transfers.

Universities have not capitalised on their research through commercialisation of intellectual property (IP).

In this way, they miss out on gains from patents, licensing, or start-up companies.

What are the hurdles to this collaboration and possible solutions?

1. Lack of Shared Goals: HEIs predominantly seek to educate students, conduct research and create theoretical knowledge. On the other hand, industries are profit-driven and pursue practical applications of knowledge to enhance productivity and innovation.
   Solution: To resolve these issues, the two parties must engage in an open dialogue, develop a flexible attitude, and find common ground where theoretical knowledge and practical applications can coexist.
2. Differences in Approach: There are differences between how HEIs and industrial partners approach the issue of collaboration. When researchers at the HEI scrutinise data furnished by a company, they focus on academic rigour and theories. Conversely, a company will focus more on practical outcomes.
   Solution: Both sides must find a middle path to bridge this cultural gap. HEI researchers could refine their findings into practical recommendations that the industrial partner can understand and implement, while the industrial partner could provide more context to the data.
3. Lack of Communication Channels: There is a lack of clear communication between HEIs and Industry.
   Solution: Indian HEIs must establish good communication channels with the industry and the industry’s regulatory processes. Training programmes could be implemented so that researchers and industry professionals get familiar with the other’s language and expectations.
4. Lack of Trust: There are concerns over lack of trust between HEIs and Industry regarding confidentiality of intellectual property.
   Solution: Mutually agreeable IP arrangement and non-disclosure agreements can be signed to ensure that sensitive information shared during collaboration remains confidential. Both parties can also agree on which results may be earmarked for academic publications and which may be kept confidential or jointly published.

All this will become easier if government funding agencies announce suitable research grants and call for joint project proposals from HEIs and industry partners.

What are the types of collaboration models that can be explored?

For Universities with minimal research facilities: They can focus on short-term collaborations with local manufacturing companies facing technical problems in their production line that need a quick resolution.

For Universities with good research facilities and expertise: They can partner with an industry for long-term research that aims to develop cutting-edge technologies.

For Industries in specific domains: They should collaborate with research groups across different universities in the same domain to keep themselves abreast of new research developments.

HEIs and industries, engaged in a symbiotic relationship, could thus help develop India’s innovation ecosystem and improve its standing in the Global Innovation Index.

Question for practice:

Establishing robust industry-academia linkages can propel socio-economic development of India. Discuss what are the challenges and suggest steps to tackle the same.