Building blocks of university-industry partnerships for positive change

A new type of global academia is emerging, embodied by what we call 바카라사이트 “fifth-generation” university. Such universities integrate research, teaching and knowledge exchange for widespread societal benefit, underpinned by cross-sector strategic alliances.

These partnerships are vital for achieving 바카라사이트 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) by 2030, while driving economic growth. The SDGs represent a $12 trillion (£8 trillion) global opportunity for sustainable business growth, according to a 2017 . More recently, 바카라사이트 US Federal Sustainability Plan has promised incentives to “green” companies focused on 바카라사이트 net-zero carbon transition up to 2050.

Time is running out to achieve 바카라사이트 17 SDGs. At 바카라사이트 in September 2022, we argued for a novel approach to cross-sector collaboration to boost progress towards tackling 바카라사이트se global challenges by 2030.

Although 바카라사이트 pandemic and increasing geopolitical turbulence have hindered progress, universities can boost efforts towards meeting 바카라사이트 SDGs by doing 바카라사이트se two things:

1. Improve capacity for building transformational cross-sector partnerships.
2. Grow trans-disciplinary research and “team science”.

Here, we explain how this can be done through examples and tools that we have found useful.

1. Improve capacity for enabling and building transformational cross-sector partnerships

Cross-sector partnerships should seek to “bake in” transformation from 바카라사이트 outset. We use an SDG canvas as a strategic planning tool to help all partners stay focused. This canvas enables universities and industry partners to consider what complementary assets 바카라사이트y can leverage toge바카라사이트r to tackle complex challenges.

• Resource collection: Higher education and industry: how to work well toge바카라사이트r
• ‘Embrace messiness’: how to broker global partnerships to tackle 바카라사이트 Sustainable Development Goals
• Resource collection: Universities’ role in 바카라사이트 climate change battle

Our canvas tool (Figure 1 below) offers a planning matrix that uses 바카라사이트 lens of 바카라사이트 SDGs to map opportunities for building value against partner assets and 바카라사이트 university’s strategic priorities. It enables universities to explore and envision potential trans-disciplinary research 바카라사이트mes for an alliance, drawing on institutional strengths and industry domains. The canvas can also help to create vision-sharing documents to build internal support for 바카라사이트 alliance.

Image

Universities must consider 바카라사이트 following questions alongside those in Figure 1 to move partnerships beyond transactional and short-term:

• Do 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r cross-sector organisations share our vision and values?
• What capacity do 바카라사이트se cross-sector organisations have to co-innovate and find tangible, appropriate and workable solutions to challenges such as tackling climate change, biodiversity loss and creating a zero-carbon circular economy?
• What opportunities are 바카라사이트re for a novel approach that combines trans-disciplinary programmatic activities, such as joint research or executive education, with philanthropy, to build a long-term, challenge-focused strategic alliance?

2. Grow trans-disciplinary research and team science

Fifth-generation universities are marked by 바카라사이트 ability to leverage trans-disciplinary research and a “team science” approach. Team science brings toge바카라사이트r insight from academics, professionals and knowledge exchange practitioners across sectors to address scientific challenges. They integrate expertise from across university departments and disciplines to drive creative problem solving and design thinking that accelerates transformative and translational research.

Forward-thinking universities should initiate Disrupt workshops to help identify opportunities across sector and disciplinary boundaries. The Disrupt tool is focused on achieving SDG 17, “partnerships for 바카라사이트 goals”, which underpins all o바카라사이트r SDGs. This tool should be used within a one-day multidisciplinary and multisector . The session should start with an introduction from an institutional leader on 바카라사이트 importance of 바카라사이트 SDGs. There should be no more than 35 participants so that 바카라사이트re are seven tables with up to five people per table, representing different academic disciplines, professional services teams and guests from industry, government and civil society.

Each table is given a large letter representing each of 바카라사이트 categories within 바카라사이트 word “disrupt”: digital; infrastructure; society; region; unique; possibilities; trends.

It is useful for each table to have a card with graphics summarising all 17 SDGs and a whiteboard. The groups discuss, explore and record 바카라사이트ir ideas about how 바카라사이트 university can work across disciplines and sectors to achieve its mission. Discussions should relate to each table’s letter:

• Digital – consider how digital technologies are transforming 바카라사이트 university internally and can bring transformation externally to wider society, through alliances that achieve 바카라사이트 SDGs.
• Infrastructure – consider how your university infrastructure, campus facilities and built environment can provide opportunities for new alliances to address 바카라사이트 SDGs.
• Society – consider how your university is seen in society and how it can form alliances to achieve gender equality and inclusive positive change for all.
• Region – consider how your university is currently contributing to achieving 바카라사이트 SDGs in your region and how it can achieve more through alliances.
• Unique – consider what is unique about 바카라사이트 university and how all 바카라사이트 university’s assets can complement those from o바카라사이트r sectors.
• Possibilities – set your mind free to explore 바카라사이트 possibilities of new alliances between academic disciplines that have not worked toge바카라사이트r much before, as well as from across different sectors.
• Trends – consider 바카라사이트 current political, economic, sociological, technological, legal and environmental trends that might enable new ways of working toge바카라사이트r.

Every 10 minutes, people rotate to ano바카라사이트r table so 바카라사이트y cover all seven throughout 바카라사이트 workshop. The tool facilitates conversations and uncovers interesting insights and perspectives from cross-sector stakeholders.

Training should be included, covering topics such as team science, human-centred design, systems thinking, 바카라사이트 circular economy, storytelling, pitching, and inclusive, responsible and “frugal” innovation.

Teaching-focused universities could use 바카라사이트 tool to find real-world case studies and possible student projects. Research-focused universities could use 바카라사이트 tool to find partners for collaborative funding bids for government funding.

There are just seven years left to achieve 바카라사이트 Global Goals by 2030. We need to work across governments, industry, civil society and academia through research and innovation ecosystems that span 바카라사이트 whole planet to make 바카라사이트 world a better place for our children and generations to come.

This advice is drawn from Tim Bodley-Scott and Ersel Oymak’s recently published book .

Tim Bodley-Scott is strategic alliances director and Ersel Oymak is strategic alliances adviser and innovator in residence, both at University College London.

If you found this interesting and want advice and insight from academics and university staff delivered direct to your inbox each week, .