Written evidence submitted by Loughborough
University (TIC 01)
DECLARATION OF
INTEREST
I am Head of the Wolfson School of Mechanical and
Manufacturing Engineering at Loughborough University. We lead
the Manufacturing Technology Centre's (MTC) strand in Intelligent
Automation, and have recently submitted a bid for an EPSRC Centre
for Innovative Manufacturing in the field of Intelligent Automation.
We are keen to pursue a Fraunhofer-type TIC ('Maxwell
Centre'), either alone, or in partnership with Fraunhofer IPA,
with whom we have had a partnership exploration for the past two
years, seeking a funding model. We have worked with IPA several
times in EU Framework programmes. We see TICs as having a more
SME-focused and multi-sectoral impact when compared to the MTC,
especially for relatively young or start-up companies. We believe
there would be synergy and complementarities between a Loughborough-based
TIC in Advanced Manufacturing, and the MTC.
1. What is the Fraunhofer model and would
it be applicable to the UK?
1.1 As I understand it the Fraunhofer centres
are not-for-profit organisations with permanent staff, offering
applied research and development services. The funding model is
(nominally) 1/3 from direct government funding, 1/3 from RTD projects
(grant from government or EU under peer review) and 1/3 commercial
activity (direct industry funding). The proportions sometimes
vary (eg 40%, 20%, 40%); the essential key feature being that
government funding is more than matched by industry funding. Thus
government funding complements success in gaining contracts from
industry.
1.2 I see no reason why this model would not
be viable in the UK. The major stumbling block is the absence
of long-term (>5 years) government funding to underpin applied
R&D in key sectors, i.e. funding akin to QR in universities,
but focused on topics of interest to industry. Without such funding
it may be difficult to survive, especially during a "start-up"
phase. The core difference between TICs and university-led technology
transfer is that universities secure projects and then recruit
research staff; TICs would have core staff seeking projects, and
thus one can keep the key skills in place. As noted by Hermann
Hauser, there is potentially great synergy in coupling TICs with
leading university research groups, which would channel new TRL
1-3 ideas into the TIC. Within the TIC, TRL 4-6 activity (TSB
or EU-funded projects) would develop key technologies for TRL
7-9 adaptation (industry funded) and exploitation by individual
companies, ie a direct route for research impacts to industry.
2. Are there existing Fraunhofer-type research
centres within the UK, and if so, are they effective?
2.1 To the best of my knowledge there are no
comparable centres. Universities generally have some sort of Technology
Transfer activity, but project-based rather than key staff driven.
There are also organisations like TWI and PERA, but they tend
to be entirely commercially driven (hence may be too expensive
for some young companies). There is certainly nothing with a comparable
level of industrial impact and success.
3. What other models are there for research
centres oriented towards applications and results?
3.1 KTA accounts at universities, but they do
not have their own dedicated staff (ie the researchers are employed
only for the project duration) and frequently use the Ph.D. student
or Research Associate who was employed on an earlier EPSRC-funded
research programme. Such staff are frequently more keen on the
research rather than the application, and thus the scheme does
not always match industry needs (of course, the quality of these
schemes varies across universities, and from project to project).
Another model would be the direct commercial business model. These
can prove too expensive for some fledgling companies. Such companies
are the seedcorn of future GDP and there is a lack of support
at crucial times.
4. Whose role should it be to co-ordinate
research in a UK-wide network of innovation centres?
4.1 Given that there is some activity in the
TRL4-6 area and the majority in the TRL7-9 area, the most appropriate
body for funding and co-ordination would be the TSB.
5. What effect would the introduction of Fraunhofer-type
institutes have on the work of Public Sector Research Establishments
and other existing research centres that undertake Government
sponsored research?
5.1 I do not feel that there would be a detrimental
impact on PSREs. In my experience, the majority of researchers
in universities and PSREs are keen on following the next line
of research, not on transferring their ideas to industry (there
are, of course, some exceptions). Given that they were attracted
to research for the novelty, they are ill-equipped to move to
the next stage. Additionally, many academics feel that engaging
in technology transfer activities does not help progress their
career in the same way as winning grants, generating Ph.D.s and
publishing research papers. It is normally the research students
who are best at transferring the technology and many do not want
an academic career, but to work on interesting projects. Time
in a Fraunhofer-type centre, gaining understanding of several/many
industrial applications makes them highly attractive to industry
(and thus a good pool of highly skilled staff). I feel that the
effect would be to strengthen the flow of ideas to industry and
academics/researchers would be able to do more of what they are
best at doing, whilst having an association with a Fraunhofer-type
centre. There would also (in many cases) be an opportunity to
identify TRL1-3 "holes" in knowledge, which the academic
would be well placed to work up and apply for grant funding.
MODUS OPERANDI
We have been in discussion with Fraunhofer (IPA)
for some time and would be keen to collaborate on a long term
basis. The Centre would be located on the Loughborough Science
Park, with good access to the University. A strong partnership
would confer significant benefits in:
- Direct access to advice on operating the Fraunhofer
Model.
- Opportunities for secondment of staff in both
directions.
- Opportunities for PhD students to gain more commercial
awareness before entering industry (following a Post Doctoral
placement in the FH Centre).
- Access to both sides for complementary skills
- enabling a wider commercial portfolio.
- Access to overlapping skills - enabling enhanced
capacity in the short term.
Professor Robert M Parkin
Loughborough University
8 November 2010
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