The Industry-College Collaboration Scheme ( )

Transcription

1 The Industry-College Collaboration Scheme ( ) Summary The Industry-College Collaboration Scheme (Næringsrettet HøgskoleSatsing, abbrev. ICC scheme) has been implemented by the Research Council of Norway as a means of promoting interest in and enhancing the accessibility of the state university colleges vis-à-vis the industrial sector. The scheme has been designed as a regional innovation initiative in which the university colleges, in addition to cooperating closely with regional companies, enter into binding cooperation with the county authorities, other R&D communities and public innovation agencies. The primary objective of the ICC scheme is to promote change at the institutional level within the university colleges, thereby enabling these institutions to become more active partners and knowledge suppliers for companies seeking to focus greater effort on R&D. Projects and activities under the scheme will be closely linked to relevant regional innovation processes. Planning is underway to expand the scheme to encompass the university institutions. In preparation for this, a number of individual pilot projects will be launched at these institutions starting in These pilot projects will help to test whether the instruments utilised in the ICC scheme, as presented in this programme plan, can also be applied to the universities. The scheme employs three different strategies: 1. The educational institution strategy focuses on projects/activities relating to organisational issues, the development of new, creative, working and communication methods, and projects/activities that enhance industrial relevance within R&D and education. 2. The company strategy focuses on concrete collaborative projects between companies and university colleges that will provide both parties with new experience and knowledge. 3. The network strategy is designed to enable the educational institutions to become more active partners in regional and national arenas for industrial development and innovation. The objectives and strategies of the scheme establish a framework for ICC projects. The scheme has been designed to be flexible and open to the wishes of the respective university colleges regarding the local tailoring of projects. In keeping with the objectives and strategies stipulated, the ICC scheme employs two main types of instruments: 1. Bridge-building projects 2. Instruments to promote mobility These two groups of measures may comprise various projects and initiatives that can be incorporated into overall ICC projects at the educational institutions. A typical ICC project consists of one or more bridge-building projects in which the educational institution enters into specific collaborative projects/activities with companies and other development actors, Approved by the MOBI Programme Board 3 September

2 and in which instruments to promote mobility are employed to augment the project(s). Priority should be given to incorporating all three strategies underlying the scheme into the educational institution s ICC projects. 1. Background Close collaboration between companies and universities, university colleges and research institutes is required if private enterprise is to be able to better utilise the knowledge and expertise that exist within the research community. Potential forms of collaboration include cooperation on specific projects, increased personnel mobility and setting up of networks. The Government s new plan for a comprehensive innovation policy, From Idea to Value (2004), views the dissemination of research-based knowledge as a key element of innovation policy. Thus, a framework has been established for further focus on, and more effective deployment of, those measures in the policy instrument system that promote interaction between industry and education and research institutions. The plan points out that greater cooperation will serve to increase both the number and the relevance of research projects, will facilitate the rapid absorption of research into industrial activity, and will enhance the utilisation of researchbased knowledge. This in turn paves the way for increased research-based innovation in industry. The report further states that greater mobility of personnel between academia and the business community is an important means of ensuring knowledge transfer between these actors. Mobility between academia and the business community is relatively low in Norway compared to the other Nordic countries. 1 Changes in the institutional framework for the higher education sector, including the amendments to the University and University College Act introduced in 2002 and the new regulations for administration of externally financed activity, have provided the higher education institutions with incentives, and conferred greater responsibility on them, for strengthening cooperation both with society at large and with the industrial sector. As a result, these institutions have been granted greater freedom to organise externally oriented activities in new ways, e.g. by establishing or taking part in affiliated, semi-autonomous institutions. Moreover, an increase their efforts involving externally financed activities will lead to an increase in their basic allocations. Since 1995, the college-oriented initiatives under the MOBI Innovation Programme 2 have actively sought to promote interest in and enhance the accessibility of the state university colleges vis-à-vis the industrial sector. In 2003, the SME-Competence and the SME-College programmes were replaced by the Industry-College Collaboration Scheme. As this scheme has been further refined, it has been given an even stronger focus on institutional change in the university-college sector to enable these institutions to become more dynamic as partners for companies and other regional development actors. 2. Objectives 2.1 Primary objective The primary objective of the Industry-College Collaboration Scheme is to promote change at the institutional level within the state university colleges, thereby enabling these institutions to become more active partners and knowledge suppliers for companies seeking to increase their 1 The Government s plan for a comprehensive innovation policy, From Idea to Value (2004). 2 The MOBI Innovation Programme - Mobilisation for R&D-related Innovation Approved by the MOBI Programme Board 3 September

3 R&D efforts. Projects and activities under the scheme are to be closely linked to relevant regional innovation processes. 2.2 Secondary objectives The ICC scheme shall help to: strengthen the organisation of interdisciplinary, industry-oriented activities as well as the overall approach to common industry-oriented problems across traditional disciplinary dividing lines within the university colleges. enable the university colleges, in collaboration with trade and industry, to increase the relevance to industry of their R&D and educational programmes. enable the university colleges to focus more on making their innovation potential for industry evident in fields of knowledge in which the institution possesses top expertise. enable the university college to develop new, creative working and communication methods that are more in conformance with the innovation needs of industry. enable the companies to establish stronger relations and increase their specific cooperation with the university colleges. Such cooperation will provide the companies with new knowledge and expertise that is relevant for further R&D efforts. enable companies, university colleges and other development actors to establish R&D coalitions within selected industrial policy initiatives at the regional and national levels. A common system for management by objectives and performance for the scheme will be developed as a basis for reports from the involved parties. 3. Target group and partners The scheme is primarily directed at the state university colleges. Key partners include companies and other development actors. The educational institutions select the companies they wish to involve in the scheme. 3.1 Target group Higher education sector (universities and university colleges) At present, the target group is limited to the state university colleges, although there are plans to expand the scheme to encompass the entire higher education sector. Within the state university colleges, the scheme is targeted towards top administrators, the various academic groups, students and candidates who have completed their studies. Recent graduates are important as they have the potential to build bridges between their former academic environment and the companies. Projects under the scheme must be clearly endorsed by top administrators as well as the relevant disciplines. The projects that are implemented must also be in compliance with the institutions strategies and plans. Approved by the MOBI Programme Board 3 September

4 Although the scheme does not yet officially incorporate the university institutions, it will be possible for universities to cooperate as partners in projects in which there is a need for complementary R&D expertise. The advantage that the university college brings to such cooperation is its contact network vis-à-vis the companies in its region, while the universities may be able to provide more broad-based scientific expertise in relation to specific industries. In preparation for the expansion of the scheme to include the universities, a number of individual pilot projects will be launched at these institutions starting in These pilot projects will help to test whether the instruments utilised in the ICC scheme, as presented in this programme plan, can also be applied to the universities. If the results of the university pilot projects are positive, then this plan will also form the basis for university activities under the scheme. 3.2 Key partners Companies Companies from all branches of industry, of all sizes, and both with or without R&D experience are eligible to participate in projects under the scheme. Important criteria for determining which companies should be involved include whether the company itself views project participation as directly beneficial, whether it has the potential to increase its R&D efforts, and whether it in any way can contribute to processes that enhance the relevance to industry of educational programmes. It is recommended that projects seek to include networks comprising companies that are actively conducting R&D activities as well as companies with little R&D experience. Other development actors The university colleges should seek to establish close, constructive cooperation with other development actors involved in the regional innovation processes. In addition to regional companies, this includes the local/regional authorities, research institutes, Innovation Norway regional offices, SIVA (the Industrial Development Corporation of Norway), and employers and employees organisations. 4. Strategies The main strategy of the scheme is to promote institutional change within university colleges by introducing collaborative projects and various mobility schemes between the educational institutions and companies. In addition to contributing to project funding, the scheme will provide a national learning arena with regard to university college efforts to increase cooperation with industry in the spheres of R&D development and competence-building. The scheme employs three complementary strategies: 4.1 Educational institution strategy The educational institution strategy stresses the importance of developing new, creative, working and communication methods, projects/activities relating to organisational issues and projects/activities that enhance the relevance to industry of R&D and educational programmes. This will entail considerable focus on internal awareness campaigns, activities Approved by the MOBI Programme Board 3 September

5 to broaden internal institutional horizons to increase accessibility to industry, learning across traditional disciplinary dividing lines, and firm endorsement of projects/activities at administrative as well as academic levels. The scheme will focus special attention on the organisation of interdisciplinary activities as well as overall approach to industry-oriented problems that the institution s various disciplines have in common. The university colleges are encouraged to work to devise incentives that reward business community experience, thus making it more attractive for staff members to take part in collaborative projects with industry. If efforts to promote wide-ranging individual participation are to succeed, it will be necessary to incorporate industry-oriented activities and measures into the institutional framework, increase their overall visibility and give them higher priority within the institution. In addition to this, personal incentives such as monetary, time or merit gains must be introduced. The higher education sector has the benefit of many international partners, and institutions are encouraged to use their international networks in projects requiring complementary expertise. 4.2 Company strategy The ICC scheme promotes the implementation of concrete collaborative projects that provide new experience and knowledge to educational institutions and companies alike. These projects are intended to provide the university colleges with insight into company-relevant problems that may be transferable to industry-oriented R&D as well as industry-oriented academic agendas. For companies, the projects are intended to supply new knowledge and expertise of relevance to further internal R&D activity. Close links must be established between the personnel/advisors involved in the company projects and the industry-oriented disciplines at the university college. The company strategy must be assessed relative to the manner in which other existing instruments employed by the Research Council and Innovation Norway can be utilised and applied to the companies needs for expertise. 4.3 Network strategy The scheme is intended to help the educational institutions to become more active partners in regional fora for industrial development and innovation. In particular, the scheme seeks to encourage university colleges to intensify their role as strategic, operative partners for the county administration and other regional development actors with regard to efforts to implement R&D in regional industrial development. To achieve this, the university colleges must increase their involvement in regional partnerships in which industry, regional policy instrument administrators and the R&D community take part. The justification for this is implicit in the increased political focus on regional innovation, the stipulations of the University and University College Act that the university colleges must seek to contribute actively to regional industrial development, and in the expanded role of the county administration as a regional development actor. The university colleges need to seek and test new models for collaborative projects with, for instance, other educational institutions and research institutes. This is important in light of the close contacts that exist between segments of the institute sector and industry as well as changes in the framework for the higher education sector, such as the new funding system that rewards external activities at universities and university colleges. Approved by the MOBI Programme Board 3 September

6 5. Instruments and success factors The university college sector consists of a highly diverse group of research and educational institutions whose size, academic profile, management, organisation and strategies differ significantly. Furthermore, these institutions have different bases with regard to their recruitment radius, competitive situation, industrial environment and structures and access to partners with resources. This implies that there is little point in trying to designate a common formula for which actions the institutions should take in order to become more open to cooperation with industry. The ICC scheme is therefore designed to be flexible with respect to the individual institutions wishes regarding local tailoring of projects within the general framework of the objectives and strategies underlying the scheme s activities. In keeping with its objectives and strategies, the scheme operates with two main types of instruments: 1. Bridge-building projects 2. Instruments promoting increased mobility. These two groups of measures may comprise various projects and initiatives that can be incorporated into overall ICC projects at the educational institutions. A typical project under the scheme would consist of one or more bridge-building projects in which the educational institution enters into concrete collaborative projects/activities with companies and other development actors, and in which instruments to promote mobility are used to augment the project(s). All three of the scheme s strategies must be reflected in the overall project. Projects under the ICC scheme may be closely linked to ongoing projects in other industryoriented research programmes administered by the Research Council. 5.1 Bridge-building projects In this context, bridge-building projects comprise projects in which the educational institution enters into specific collaborative projects with companies and/or other development actors. Bridge-building projects focus particularly on reciprocal learning between participants. Three applicable types of bridge-building projects and activities are outlined below: Demonstration projects Selected challenges to industrial innovation and specific market needs may form the foundation for large-scale demonstration projects in which the objective is to distinguish areas of potential interest to industry within fields in which an educational institution possesses expert knowledge. Demonstration projects will naturally tend to be tied to challenges facing specified company clusters. This makes it possible to identify fields currently undergoing dynamic development. Company projects involving purchase of scientific expertise from the educational institution Specific projects are implemented in cooperation with companies, involving supervisors/researchers from various academic fields who have been engaged to help carry out the project. These projects are to be based on the company s needs for development. The ICC scheme can be used to fund the participation of the educational institution s academic personnel in the project, but partners are encouraged to apply for tax deductions under the SkatteFUNN tax deduction scheme for the purchase of scientific expertise from the educational institution as well as for other project costs. Approved by the MOBI Programme Board 3 September

7 Hiring out laboratory facilities Many educational institutions have large laboratories with advanced equipment and a crew of students, engineers, lab technicians and scientists. Many companies lack access to expensive, advanced measuring and laboratory equipment. Companies need to stay apprised of current approaches to problems that will give them a unique range of ideas for innovative projects. These will be important to companies and may at the same time provide a starting point for project assignments at various levels of higher educational training programmes. Companies can contribute both in terms of new approaches to problems and in terms of advisory capacity. Hire of laboratory facilities can form the basis for cooperation between companies and educational institutions on projects for mutual benefit. The ICC scheme can be used to launch trial set-ups in which to test good models for hiring out laboratory facilities. Furthermore, the potential for establishing more or less formal laboratory networks in which company and educational institution laboratories are viewed in a larger perspective can be evaluated. 5.2 Instruments to promote mobility Instruments that promote mobility comprise a key group within the range of measures used to increase interaction between academia and industry. Mobility measures help to increase knowledge and experience in academic and industrial communities alike. The flow of knowledge and in particular personnel will be important under the ICC scheme because there is much that indicates that the flow of skilled personnel to industry is the single most important channel for industry-science relationships (OECD 2000). The ICC scheme can be used to fund mobility measures at all levels of an educational and research career. One stipulation is that these activities must be part of a cohesive ICC project at the educational institution, and the infrastructure supporting these activities must be closely linked to the institution s R&D activities and teaching programme. Students and graduates serve as a resource in research activities at both undergraduate and graduate levels, and it is recommended that specific agreements be established to safeguard student rights. Additionally, strict requirements for advisors should be stipulated. Mobility measures for persons taking part in educational programmes The quality reform in higher education 3 has boosted institutional autonomy in terms of establishing new educational programmes and degrees. The new methods for teaching and evaluating students that have been introduced are beneficial to cooperation between educational institutions and industry. These include greater focus on project activities based on examples from working life. Companies are utilised as teaching laboratories and project activities have become an integral part of the study programme. Viewed in the context of the quality reform, the ICC scheme will be able to support infrastructure measures that enable university colleges to strengthen their cooperation vis-à-vis regional industry by linking them together via students. Mobility measures will increase students understanding of their function as a link because the topic on which they are focusing will be tailored to the needs of industry, while at the same time the supervisory role of the educational institutions will enable these to gain insight into the conditions and challenges facing trade and industry. This will help to diminish the barriers between the higher education sector and industry. The various mobility measures also serve to furnish advisors and relevant academic circles with greater access to company examples for use as case studies in teaching as well as their own R&D activities. 3 Cf. Report No. 27 ( ) to the Storting Approved by the MOBI Programme Board 3 September

8 Mobility measures in which students serve as a link between the higher education sector and companies may include: Bachelor degree students/projects under supervision Trainee positions/summer jobs under supervision Master degree students/projects under supervision Mobility measures for recent graduates SME-Competence The SME-Competence strategy is being continued as its own concept under the ICC scheme 4. Under a SME-Competence project a company receives financial support to hire a recruit with at least two years of higher education. This recruit will work together with others in the company to conduct a one-year R&D project with academic supervisory support from a state university college. The choice of recruit and academic advisor will be determined by the company s need for expertise. The academic advisor serves as a hub for relaying contact and knowledge between the company and the educational institution. SME-Competence projects are intended to promote close ties between experts within the institutions and advisors and recruited graduates, as well as to encourage companies to focus further effort on R&D cooperation with the university college or other research or educational institutions. The university college may adapt the amount of support to be awarded to the advisor and company based on the nature, size and complexity of the project. Each project under the strategy must also be assessed to determine whether project costs are eligible for tax deductions under the SkatteFUNN tax deduction scheme, thus helping to reduce the amount of funding granted to the company. Doctoral /post-doctoral fellowships under supervision This measure is designed to increase the number of doctoral/post-doctoral candidates with experience from research through industrial contacts. In this context it is particularly important to open the door to doctoral fellows coming from the companies. This measure is well-suited to long-term, more comprehensive projects. A clear understanding must be reached between the research fellow and the company regarding use of time, etc. This measure is probably best applied within companies in need of long-term solutions to challenges, and that already possess some insight into the nature of research. At the same time, it is important to provide measures for potential doctoral candidates who are already working in the companies and who wish to continue to do so. In this context it is important to ensure that good part-time solutions and adequate advisory schemes are available. Instruments for experienced researchers from industry to higher education By and large, the notion of mobility between academia and industry implies mobility from higher education to industry. Thus, it is necessary to emphasise that there is also a need for mobility in the other direction, from industry to academia. Financial support in the form of a lump-sum payment of NOK is available for the establishment of a level II academic position or 20 % position in industry as an integrated part of an ICC project. This measure is designed to promote closer R&D cooperation with industry and to make teaching and R&D activity more relevant in relation to the needs of the industrial sector. Additionally, schemes may be established for qualification at associated professor level of industry employees who already have doctorate degrees. This scheme is particularly relevant for medium-sized companies that are in need of scientific expertise, but that are 4 See for more information about SME-Competence. Approved by the MOBI Programme Board 3 September

9 located outside centralised regions and thus have problems in attracting researchers in conjunction with universities and university colleges. Measures involving level II academic positions may also be used for positions at other levels than professorships. Fellowships Companies can offer fellowships as a means of attracting students at the university colleges. This measure serves to enhance recruitment, as well as to promote more long-term, binding activity to increase students expertise within a company s technology sphere. A number of companies already employ such company-funded fellowships. Under the ICC scheme, educational institutions can test various fellowship initiatives with a view to developing useful models. Technology showcase Often, companies lack knowledge of what the higher education sector has to offer. The technology showcase measure is envisioned as a scheme in which company-based R&D personnel have an opportunity to visit the higher education sector to gain an initial overview of the technology offered and to establish scientific and professional contacts. Under the ICC scheme, the educational institutions can test out various models for technology showcasing. 5.3 Success factors The following factors will contribute to the success of projects under the ICC scheme: Integration of principles into the administrative framework and clear commitments from the leadership and personnel in the companies and educational institutions prior to initiation of the projects. A cohesive, clearly-defined target structure with measurable targets and a concrete project plan featuring milestones. An experimental and professional approach to project testing and implementation. A strategy and established grounds for choice of project focus and selection of companies. A customer-friendly, flexible attitude in relation to the companies R&D needs. Quality norms for the implementation of all types of activities. Documentation of increased focus on external activity vis-à-vis industry. Linkage to other regional, national and international networks the university colleges are to play a leading role in opening up new arenas for the companies involved. A expert staff at the university colleges who take active part in the projects and the development of networks. Documented commitments from local project managers. Clear emphasis on development of expertise, dialogue and learning between all the various actors in all activities. 6. Relationship to other industry-relevant programmes The ICC scheme is a cross-sectoral activity that complements and supports other relevant programmes administered by the Research Council. Activities to promote mobility are especially well suited for association with ongoing projects under other programmes. The following programmes/initiatives are closely linked to the ICC scheme: Approved by the MOBI Programme Board 3 September

10 The SkatteFUNN tax deduction scheme may provide a means of reducing financial outlay from the ICC scheme in projects that involve funding support to companies. Close cooperation must be established between the ICC scheme and SkatteFUNN in order to devise good routines for how companies participating in ICC projects can qualify for tax deductions through SkatteFUNN. The FORNY programme for commercialisation of R&D results is designed to help generate new businesses using R&D results from the higher education sector, and the ICC scheme will help made the educational institutions more accessible to existing industry in terms of R&D and competence building. There will be close cooperation with FORNY on measures to enhance awareness, cultural and organisational structures to incorporate industry-oriented activities as a priority task within the institutions R&D efforts. Research-based competence brokering: Close links between competence brokers and project managers/actors participating in the ICC scheme will encourage the university college sector to play a more active role in regional partnerships. Ties between these measures will also promote the establishment and testing of models for projects involving cooperation between research institutes and university colleges/universities. ARENA - Innovation in networks: The ICC scheme can help to strengthen the R&D content of the ARENA projects. The companies and R&D institutions involved in ARENA can utilise measures to promote mobility of personnel between the actors in the industrial clusters as well as other relevant instruments designed to increase R&D competence within the companies. Value Creation 2010: Instruments to promote bridge-building and mobility will be essential to the VC2010 programme. Here too, instruments under the ICC scheme will help to increase personnel mobility between companies and the higher education institutions involved in the programme. The Strategic University College Projects comprise a new initiative that is specifically directed towards the state university colleges to strengthen research and researcher expertise within this sector. The ICC scheme will encourage the dissemination to industry of R&D-based knowledge and expertise developed through such strategic projects. 7. Foundation for knowledge and learning The ICC scheme is a national initiative, and as such it is extremely important that the learning aspect of the measures is cohesive. The initiative s foundation for knowledge and learning is fundamental to the further scientific development, dissemination of results, policy development and communication with various target groups. Interaction with other programmes is essential in this context. 7.1 Learning arenas The ICC scheme utilises the following learning arenas: ICC forum meeting place for the institutions A forum for the exchange of experience between university college administrators, scheme administrators, other segments of the Research Council, Innovation Norway, the Norwegian Approved by the MOBI Programme Board 3 September

11 Council for Higher Education and the government ministries. Meetings are organised in cooperation with the administration of the Strategic University College Projects. Project manager seminars Project manager seminars will provide a practical arena for performance follow-up, quality control, coordination of instruments, knowledge transfer between participants, presentation of good examples from project portfolios and input to further development of the scheme. Five seminars will be held each year. Three of these will be held at selected university colleges. Seminars for project participants/advisors All participating university colleges are responsible for holding at least one seminar for discussions between administrators, staff members and students/graduates involved in ICC projects at the individual educational institution. Company meeting places All companies involved in an ICC project will be invited to at least one annual industryoriented meeting at the university college with which they are associated. In addition, the ICC project managers are responsible for ensuring that ICC initiatives are presented in industrial fora. ICC website The Research Council is responsible for ensuring that the ICC website is regularly updated with information relevant to all project managers and other parties involved in the scheme. The url is: 8. Organisation and implementation 8.1 Organisation The ICC scheme utilises contracts at two levels: between the Research Council and the university colleges and between the university colleges and the companies or other development actors involved. A standard, multiple-year contract regulating activities must be signed by the Research Council and university colleges. Funding is granted for applications submitted by the university colleges according to normal application procedures in the Research Council. The principles laid out in the programme description will form the basis for this. An individual agreement must be drawn up to regulate the cooperation between the university colleges and the companies. 8.2 Local project management Institutional project manager The university colleges appoint an institutional project manager who is responsible on behalf of the institution for the implementation of the project, including integration into the institution s administrative and academic bodies. The local project managers are expected to establish extensive cooperation with other relevant policy instrument administrators, such as the Innovation Norway regional offices. This applies among other things to company recruitment and links between projects. The local project managers should also be included in the SkatteFUNN training scheme. Every effort must be made to ensure that the principles for Approved by the MOBI Programme Board 3 September

12 participation in the scheme are firmly and stably endorsed within the relevant organisational structures and in relation to personnel within the institution. Steering group Each university college must establish an appropriate steering group to approve and monitor the follow-up of activities under the project. 9. Application process The state university colleges may apply for project funding under the ICC scheme based on this programme plan. Institutions are expected to contribute a minimum of 50 per cent of the funding themselves. Each university college can apply for a maximum of MNOK 1.5. The institutions are encouraged to engage in a dialogue with Innovation Norway and the regional authorities, among others, to determine the potential for obtaining partial funding. Applicants are expected to prepare a comprehensive action plan/milestone plan and devise a budget that clearly indicates where the main thrust of the project will lie. Great importance is attached to the incorporation of the scheme s three underlying strategies into the project. The application procedure complies with the Research Council s ordinary routines. 10. Funding plan Funding source (NOK mill) Ministry of Trade and Industry Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development Ministry of Education and Research Total Research Council of Norway Budget for 2004 Proposal for 2005 Proposal Other public funding Investment, university colleges Investment, industry Total Approved by the MOBI Programme Board 3 September