Technology and Innovation Centres - Science and Technology Committee Contents


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:

  1. Inclusive, collaborative and open to all potential industry partners and technology providers and not inwardly focused around a small number of HEIs/industrial concerns.
  2. Built around generic technology need rather than proprietary solutions.
  3. Aligned but non competitive with the innovation strategy and academic Knowledge Exchange base.
  4. 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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