APPENDIX 18
Memorandum from the Association of Research
& Industrial Links (AURIL)
RESEARCH COUNCIL SUPPORT FOR KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER
1. The Association of Research & Industrial
Links is the largest membership-based professional organisation
for Knowledge Transfer practitioners in Europe and represents
Knowledge Transfer professionals in higher education and related
sectors, supporting their work with university stake holders who
wish to access university based research and its knowledge outputs,
including the UK Research Councils.
2. Since the inception of the new remit
and structure for UK Research Councils in 1993, Auril has had
close working relationships with both individual Research Councils
including the Arts and Humanities Research Council since its foundation
and as a group in order to maximise the successful generation
of world-class research and of the executive transfer of knowledge
from the universities for the benefit of the UK economy and the
well-being of UK society.
3. In particular, AURIL has supported all
Research Council initiatives which seek to develop applications
or to transfer research outputs to commercial benefit recognises
that the principal functions of the UK Research Councils are to
foster the best research as measured by peer revue and against
international benchmarks but also to be responsive to the needs
of their stakeholders in UK industry, charities and foundations
and the wider society. In 1996 for example EPSRC conducted a university
exploitation audit pilot to scrutinise the effectiveness of the
exploitation process in universities in respect of UK Research
Council grants. Some half dozen or so universities took part in
this initiative and, as example, the University of Birmingham
produced the research exploration audit process report (REAP)
entitled "People, Partnerships, Programmes" (Feb
1997). Recommendations were made to develop the connection between
research and to extend the pool of knowledge towards more ready
dissemination and exploitation, recognising the key role of professional
research champions in the leadership of research groups. It was
proposed that allowable expenditure heads on research awards might
include such items as producing demonstrator projects for industry
and others, research audits of outcomes, patent costs and other
associated expenditure towards exploitation. It was further suggested
that research into executive case studies should be carried out,
funded by the Research Councils to establish a better understanding
of good practice. This might include more systematic international
benchmarking as well as tracking and profiling over longer term
outcomes and post graduate researchers in to the future.
4. The integrated knowledge centre initiative
was supported by AURIL although it is questionable whether such
developments is not more properly the province of the dept of
trade and industry and whether it diverts generic research funding
away from the UK research base. It is probable that more benefit
would accrue in terms of commercial applications from flowing
the resources through the existing link scheme which has a proven
track record. On the other hand AURIL recognises the political
realties in Whitehall of winning new and additional funding in
Spending Reviews.
5. The main problem lies in identifying
where Research Council funding has led to successful outcomes
as these may not be short term or directly linked to specific
research contracts. It is not easy to connect Research Council
responsive mode grants to specific examples of success for knowledge
commercialisation. Specific schemes, however, such as the Research
Council's Business Plan competition and the Follow-On Fund have
been highly successful and major benefit to UK universities, leading
to transfer of successful innovations to the extent that more
funding would be welcome in these programmes.
6. The role of the Research Council is directed
towards more generic approaches to supporting commercialisation
across the range of grants or more specific initiatives such as
Faraday or KTP. It is recognised, however, that such schemes might
more properly be funded through the department of Trade and Industry
as is the case with the latter.
7. Since the Lambert report a clear framework
has been established for guiding commercial relationships between
UK universities and business. AURIL would not support further
developments in particular concerning the ownership of intellectual
property which threatens the autonomy of universities to pursue
research at their discretion and to make commercialisation arrangements
in their best interests. The Research Councils also have a relationship
to their stakeholders which, in recent years, has been more fully
developed via communication and consultation and in the structures
by which Research Councils are managed. AURIL continues to support
the engagement of UK Research Councils with all of their stakeholders
including universities, but does not believe the Research Councils
should move to "hold the ring" in the interface between
universities and business. Whilst better liaison can be encouraged
and initiatives developed the ultimate decision concerning successful
examples of knowledge transfer should remain with the contracting
parties.
8. More might be done by the Research Councils
to provide opportunities for the collaborative working of research
and business and, on a sector basis, but recognition should be
given to the variety of existing initiatives which support such
engagement including Link research, exchange and secondment schemes.
9. The UK is now addressing the shortage
of skilled and experienced KT professionals and AURIL has played
an important role in this field. The HEFCE support via the Higher
Education Innovation Fund (HEIF) fund and its predecessors is
greatly welcomed. As a result AURIL is leading the development
of a national Institute for Knowledge Transfer and hopes that
the UK Research Councils will be able to engage with this new
body and to effectively support its creation and development.
Only by securing the supply of skilled people at the interface
between universities and business will the UK be able to ensure
that knowledge transfer will be maximised. It is a combination
of approaches to the development of people, partnerships and specific
funded programmes through which the UK economy will prosper and
the UK Research Councils have a role in fostering all three. AURIL
stands ready to assist individual Research Councils or RCUK in
this capacity, but recognises that there is much to commend in
the approaches adopted thus far, for which the Research Councils
are to be congratulated.
10. The future of the Research Assessment
Exercise after 2008 and its effectiveness in fostering knowledge
transfer remains a key question as does the willingness to fund
through Research Council grant programme other activities designed
to assist commercialisation.
February 2006
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