Written evidence submitted by the University
of Leicester (TIC 59)
1. What is the Fraunhofer model and would it be
applicable to the UK?
1.1 The Fraunhofer model is to have centres,
largely independent of the academic technology base, at the cornerstone
of national technology support services for industry. Led and
at least partly funded by industry they provide facilities and
expertise for applications driven contract research, either for
individual private clients or as part of an industry agreed non-competitive
program. In truth the institutes are as valued as a central, highly
visible, first port of call for consulting and problem-solving
expertise as for their abilities to perform significant research
programs. This is especially important in mature, post·competitive,
technology areas such as manufacturing engineering where the innovation
base struggles to maintain and support expertise.
1.2 One underpinning feature of the German industry
base, not present in the UK, is the unusual dominance of stable
medium sized businesses that form the bulk of Fraunhofer clients.
The frequent mergers, acquisitions and evaporations that effect
both SME's and multinationals undermine the core networks that
support the long term viability of Fraunhofer Institutes and has
made "technology clubs" hard to sustain in the long
term in the UK. Equally, in general German industry has a much
stronger track record that the UK in investing in collaborative
R&D.
1.3 Fraunhofers are totally focused around industry
needs and tend to be built around transfer of proven technologies
and solving pragmatic and often pan-sector problems leading to
solid rather than innovative technologies that gain recognition
for their international excellence, the main focus of UK science
policy for many years. They also aim to support existing businesses
rather that germinate new ones, again a key focus of UK policy.
As such Fraunhofer centres are poor role models for the commercialisation
of research and are better seen as the technological end of a
business support system.
1.4 Nevertheless, there is a role for Fraunhofer
type institutes in the UK where there is a clear long term industry
pull and appetite for pre or post competitive investment. In order
to work efficiently they should be:
- Inclusive, collaborative and open to all potential
industry partners and technology providers and not inwardly focused
around a small number of HEIs/industrial concerns.
- Built around generic technology need rather than
proprietary solutions.
- Aligned but non competitive with the innovation
strategy and academic Knowledge Exchange base.
- Financially viable in the medium term.
2. Are there existing Fraunhofer-type research
centres within the UK, and if so, are they effective?
2.1 The UK had a series of government run industry
facing research institutes until the 1980's after which most were
privatised, closed or amalgamated into academic institutions.
There are a number remaining such as Campden BRI (food), BTTG
(textiles) and PERA (Production Engineering) that work in a similar
way to Fraunhofer centres with a combination of Government funds,
contract research and membership subscriptions. Although they
appear to work well to support their industries they now, as CROs,
interact very little with the innovation base and do little to
promote emerging technologies arising from UK based institutions.
It is fair to say that these institutions have suffered from low
prestige over the last 20 years yet remain a valuable anchor for
near-market support.
3. What other models are there for research centres
oriented toward applications and results?
3.1 The codification of the University research base
as an economic asset has been transformed by the Higher Education
Innovation Fund (HEIF) in particular over recent years and now
there is a very significant, but currently threatened, body of
research commercialisation activity across the academic innovation
landscape. The link between HEIF and productivity, measured by
HEBCIS, encourages technology exploitation especially in areas
where technology is best exploited through exclusive licensing
or generation of high growth potential spin-out companies. The
introduction of Impact as a measure of research quality due to
be introduced in the coming years will further ensure that Universities
operate as broad innovation centres, providing that support for
Knowledge Transfer & Exchange activity is preserved.
4. Whose role should it be to coordinate research
in a UK-wide network of innovation centres?
4.1 The only single body with a breadth sufficient
to co-ordinate a national network of technology centres in the
UK today is the Technology Strategy Board (TSB). However, many
industries also have representative organisations and they too
should have a role in defining research directions of innovation
centres. Industry has a key responsibility here to specify its
requirements and participate fully in pan-sector collaborative
research rather than solely seeking programs that support proprietary
research interests.
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 It is crucial that Fraunhofer type Technology
Innovation Centres (TIC's) add value and focus to existing technology
exploitation programs rather than replacing or undermining the
current flow of innovation through the excellence led national
research programs. The Public Sector Research Establishments (PSRE)
are especially vulnerable as they tend to lie between the academic
and the industry led sectors. However, it could be argued that
many of the resources expended on PSREs could be split between
the academic centre for emerging and underpinning technologies
and the TICs for post competitive industry facing programs.
6. Declaration of Interests
6.1 The University of Leicester has no specific interests
to declare but would be willing to help support and collaborate
in a future TIC if and as appropriate to its skills and expertise.
Professor K Schürer
Pro Vice Chancellor—Research and
Enterprise
University of Leicester
2 December 2010
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