Technology Transfer: Literature Review

In this part of the assignment I would like to review The European Commision’s paper on the

transfer of technology to the Education sector to make their universities more competitive.

Through this review I would be able to make a strong case on the importance of technology

transfer from the Public and Private Sector towards the Education community in the UAE to

make our centers of higher education more competitive and better equipped to handle

competition from Asian countries that have in recent years greatly improved the quality of

education in their universities (Potočnik & Verheugen, 2013).

The paper makes a plea that a “strong scientific knowledge base is one of Europe’s traditional

key assets”. In spite of this the paper asserts that the global positon of the level of research

conducted at their universities is constantly being challenged other counties (Colorado Institute

for Technology Transfer and Implementation, 2003). At the same time, European level of

research is constantly under threat from an increasing globalized world, thatis becoming

connected through new technologies and greater digitalization (Colorado Institute for

Technology Transfer and Implementation, 2003).

The paper here draws our attention to the “broad based innovation strategy” for the European

Union in order improve technology and knowledge transfer between the various public and

private sectors as well as research institutes (Klauss, 2000). This also includes civil society

organizations and as well as non-profit organization not funded or supported by the government.

The Innovation Strategy highlights the various ways in which the Member States of the
European Union as well as the community can work together, in partnership to overcome the

various obstacles plaguing the quality of education in European Universities (Potočnik &

Verheugen, 2013).

The Innovation Strategy is also accompanied by a number of important “voluntary Guidelines

for Universities and other research institutions to help them widen their research network by

building new links based on technology transfer with Industries across the European Union”.

(Klaus & Teknillinen korkeakoulu, 1985)

One of biggest concerns facing the Education sector in the European Union, something which

echoes the concerns of Universities in the UAE as well is how universities can make better use

of publically funded R&D. If one compares our universities to the Universities in North

America, the average university generates hardly any patents or new inventions (Klauss, 2000).

This is equally true of Europe and the UAE – both of which are facing difficulties in staying

competitive in an ultra-globalized world connected digitally.

The problem as stated in the paper is due to a number of hindrances faced by Universities. This

includes problems ranging from cultural differences between the scientific and business

communities, lack of incentives, numerous legal barriers and market fragmentation (in

technology and knowledge) (Feng, Chen, Wang, & Chiang, 2012). When put together not only

do these factors make it difficult for countries across Europe to better train and equip their

students with the latest technologies but also can in future cripple the job market, hindering the

process of job creation and growth (Colorado Institute for Technology Transfer and

Implementation, 2003).
That being said the importance of transferring knowledge and boosting the competitiveness of

universities across Europe is something that being taken up with great seriousness by the

respective governments of the various member states of the European Union – something which

governments and education departments across the UAE should serious consider looking into. A

variety of different initiatives are being taken up by various member nations in order improve

collaboration between industries and the educational sector (Feng, Chen, Wang, & Chiang,

2012).

One can look towards such technology transfer initiatives taking places in the EU with regards to

IRP regimes, new laws and guidelines and even model contracts and this is being taken up by

one country after the other in Europe (Potočnik & Verheugen, 2013).

However, one needs to understand that such initiatives are often designed keeping the national

perspective in mind and thus fail to address the all-important transitional dilemma of technology

transfer. Obviously one would agree that there needs to be highly level playing field with regards

to industry-university R&D interactions across Europe in order to ensure that none of the

member nations feel left out or left behind. The same can be said about the member nations of

the United Arab Emirates.

The good part is that that European Universities and research institutions across the Union are

starting to realize their changing roles given the rapid globalization of the economy and are

starting to take the necessary steps to step up to rapidly changing environment. This has pushed

them to take a number of interesting steps.

Across the globe, countries and their respective universities are starting to understanding their

changing roles in a globalized environment. They have now understood that that that their job is
no longer just about providing their localized regions with graduates but rather they have a much

bigger role to perform. Universities are now competing at a global scale for researchers, industry

partners and students. They have in turn realized they have to provide their students with world

class facilities for research and innovations.

The students themselves have become far more demanding about the quality of education being

imparted to them. Growing up as they are in a globalized world, their ambitions are no longer

limited to their immediate geographical environment. Since they want to grow and reach new

heights, they would choose universities that can make good on the promise of innovation and

superior quality research facilities. As such in order to attract the brightest minds, even

universities in the UAE need to follow the same footsteps in order to remain competitive and

attract the brightest minds across the world.

If one to examine the various successful collaborations between the industry and the educational

sector in the USA, one would find that sustainable ‘win-win’ arrangement is indeed quite

possible, as a result of not only can we produce good science, but also quickly publish results

without a lot of delay. Additionally, with such transfer of technology we can also contribute to

the general training and education of our graduates and while generating amazing intellectual

material which go on to enlighten the whole community.

When it is managed in a balanced and professional manner, knowledge transfer can greatly help

both research institutions and the industry at large.

How do we balance the benefits

We need to understand that benefits of technology transfer from the industrial and private sector

to the educational sector should not be expected to be financial – although in a number of cases
revenues have been made which have funded large scale R&D activities. The success of such

technology transfer initiative have always gone on to benefit the private sector financially, even

though such monetary benefits may take time to show up.

As such the biggest benefits are often indirect and can include for example: a strong buildup of

mutual trust between the industry and the research institution which would go on to establish a

long term and very strategic partnership between the two sectors; it would also enhance the

collaborative efforts between the two sectors, and which publics institutions stepping in which

grants and funds, the institutes get better research facilities (which benefits them by helping them

attract the best research scholars) and the industry which gets to hire highly trained and

competent young employees. This actually saves them money which they would otherwise have

had to spend on training new employees.

Both the industry and the education sector have a lot to gain from status and prestige factors

which they receive as a result of a successful collaboration. When a research institute is able to

enhance its teaching abilities with content and examples from practical industry occurrence, it

can successfully teach its students to quickly gain and apply real life skills and gain the necessary

knowledge to solve real problems of faced by the industry; this in itself should be a greater

motivator the private sector step in start transferring valuable technological knowledge to the

educational sector.

This can also help the industry by helping them find new partners and clients and raise revenues

in a variety of novel ways. For example, it can help the industry attract, employ and retain the

best scientific minds in the field who would be attracted to the generous research grants which
they would get while working critical technology and research projects in an academic

environment.

In conclusion both the industry and the educational sector are able to greatly benefit when there’s

a healthy exchange of technology.

References

Colorado Institute for Technology Transfer and Implementation. (2003). Comparative

technology transfer and society. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.

Feng, H., Chen, C., Wang, C., & Chiang, H. (2012). The role of intellectual capital and

university technology transfer offices in university-based technology transfer.Service

Industries Journal. doi:10.1080/02642069.2010.545883

Klaus, J. P., & Teknillinen korkeakoulu. (1985). Effective technology transfer: Project for

developing continuing engineering education in Finland. Espoo: Teknillinen

korkeakoulu.

Klauss, R. (2000). Technology Transfer in Education – Application to Developing

Countries. Journal of Technology Transfer. doi:10.1023/A:1007822605056

Potočnik, J., & Verheugen, G. (2013). Improving Technology Transfer between Research

Institutions and Industry across Europe. Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/invest-in-

research/pdf/download_en/knowledge_transfe_07.pdf

Technology transfer week. (1994). Potomac, MD: Phillips Business Information.