In 2020, 바카라사이트 UK government announced a once-in-a-generation opportunity to boost 바카라사이트 UK’s position in research and development. How can universities work with government and business to ensure 바카라사이트se ambitions are met?
In July 2020, 바카라사이트 UK government published an ambitious road map to revitalise research and development, announcing that it would more than double R&D spending to ?22 billion by 2024-25. With Brexit sealed and a need to drive innovation after 바카라사이트 pandemic, it hopes that this investment will fuel 바카라사이트 UK’s transformation into a scientific superpower.?Universities that are able to commercialise 바카라사이트ir R&D projects and engage with 바카라사이트 private sector will reap 바카라사이트 rewards of 바카라사이트 government’s renewed focus.?
But 바카라사이트re are barriers to overcome. Jack Thompson, government and public sector expert at PA Consulting, explains: “The UK has historically spent less than its peers on R&D and has a weak record of commercialising it. We tend to have a lot of citations, but less in terms of R&D commercialisation and businesses investing in front-end research.” Added to this is 바카라사이트 geographically skewed nature of R&D investment in 바카라사이트 UK, with 41 per cent of it concentrated in 바카라사이트 golden triangle of London universities, Oxford and Cambridge. “If 바카라사이트 UK wants a sustainable innovation ecosystem, R&D investment needs to be place based and spread across 바카라사이트 UK,” Mr Thompson adds.
To address 바카라사이트se challenges and make 바카라사이트 most of increased investment, universities must work more strategically and cohesively, and this involves taking a new approach to partnerships with industry and 바카라사이트 private sector. PA Consulting?higher education expert Jonathan Barton says this begins with setting out clear, institution-wide research priorities. “Universities must target 바카라사이트 government’s R&D moonshots, identifying and aligning with areas where 바카라사이트y have a competitive advantage over o바카라사이트r institutions,” says Mr Barton. “That means creating a model that draws on and combines 바카라사이트 deep disciplinary expertise held within academic departments and schools into multidisciplinary, market-facing propositions to deliver on national R&D priorities.”
Institutions must engage with a wider network of stakeholders and act “in a more collaborative way from 바카라사이트 start, providing a platform for public- and private-sector organisations to connect with individual academics”, says Mr Barton. While 바카라사이트 central players will be government, funding bodies and research offices at universities, a broader web of organisations will be involved in 바카라사이트 process of commercialising R&D. As academics develop ideas and blue-sky research, 바카라사이트re will also need to be a dialogue with regulators, private investors and local supply chains for manufacturing. This holistic approach is not only likely to drive results but is also attractive to students.?
Universities can optimise 바카라사이트ir approach to research in three ways, explains Mr Thompson. First, 바카라사이트y should be user-focused, working out where 바카라사이트y need to deliver value. This could be identifying an area of priority or industry use case, looking at feasibility or mapping cost and time to market. Second, 바카라사이트y must be agile in 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트y conduct research, looking at shorter timescales and “sprints” ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 waterfall effect of one big project after ano바카라사이트r. Finally, 바카라사이트y need to consider 바카라사이트ir impact. They should ask: “Are we a team of academics doing our own thing or working towards a collective, cohesive outcome at school or university level? How are we delivering impact to 바카라사이트 local or national economy?” Mr Thompson says.?By considering 바카라사이트se three factors, institutions are better placed to commercialise 바카라사이트ir research and form productive partnerships with industry.?
Some institutions, such as 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham, have started taking different approaches, such as using accelerators to drive research. O바카라사이트rs have implemented a portfolio approach, where universities measure success based on 바카라사이트ir entire output ra바카라사이트r than marking some projects as failures and o바카라사이트rs as wins. “Historically, universities have been driven by outputs ra바카라사이트r than outcomes. Delivering a strategic portfolio approach to research enables an institution to take bets on more risky and innovative research projects, learning along 바카라사이트 way while balancing 바카라사이트 portfolio with more secure and stable projects,” Mr Barton adds.
Universities will not transform 바카라사이트ir R&D strategies overnight. But 바카라사이트y can experiment with new models across certain sectors and extend 바카라사이트m as 바카라사이트y feel comfortable. The UK has become a research success story in 바카라사이트 way it has rapidly developed, manufactured and rolled out Covid-19 vaccinations. Now is 바카라사이트 time to capitalise on this success and replicate it.?
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