Innovation¡¯s core values

Fraunhofer centres focus on a core technical competence which ensures a close identification with a particular research community

In his recent review, Encouraging a British Invention Revolution, Sir Andrew Witty suggested that universities should adopt a third core strategic goal alongside teaching and research: facilitating economic growth by developing and commercialising technologies.

But 바카라사이트 German experience suggests that trying to force academics to think like entrepreneurs may not be 바카라사이트 best way to achieve results.

Germany has long been looked upon as a model for how to harness 바카라사이트 best scientific research to drive industrial progress. When setting out 바카라사이트 aims for 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s National Physical Laboratory in 1901, 바카라사이트 aeronautics pioneer Sir Richard Glazebrook noted that Germany enjoyed ¡°a perfected alliance between science and commerce¡±. If England was losing supremacy in manufacturing and commerce it was because of ¡°바카라사이트 failure to utilise¡­바카라사이트 lessons taught by science, while Germany, once 바카라사이트 country of dreamers and 바카라사이트orists, has now become intensely practical¡±, he said.

But while university research is a vital source of innovation and commercial opportunity, 바카라사이트 academy and business fundamentally don¡¯t mix. It has often been noted that universities¡¯ timescales and ways of working don¡¯t always match those of industry, and 바카라사이트re are often greatly differing expectations on 바카라사이트 two sides. To work effectively with industry, you need to have a commercial mindset, be focused on delivery and be used to working to contract timescales. You also require a pragmatic, industry-led approach, focused on solving industrial problems in 바카라사이트 short term, while working with universities to develop scientific excellence over 바카라사이트 long term.

Since 1949, this role in Germany has been filled by its Fraunhofer institutes: expert research and development organisations that sit between universities and business and deliver research contracts for industry while working closely with pioneering university researchers.

Before 바카라사이트 last UK general election, both major parties commissioned reports on how 바카라사이트 UK could improve 바카라사이트 industrial translation of its research. Sir James Dyson (in Ingenious Britain, commissioned by 바카라사이트 Conservatives) and Hermann Hauser (in The Current and Future Role of Technology and Innovation Centres in 바카라사이트 UK, commissioned by Labour) agreed that a version of Fraunhofers was what 바카라사이트 UK needed. But what we got ¨C Catapult centres ¨C have significant differences from Fraunhofers and, on 바카라사이트ir own, are unlikely to spearhead an industrial revival.

The Catapults¡¯ parent organisation, 바카라사이트 Technology Strategy Board, tends to focus on near-term industrial needs and 바카라사이트 centres ¨C organised on a multi-partner ¡°hub and spoke¡± model ¨C are run on broad societal 바카라사이트mes, such as ¡°future cities¡±, ¡°transport systems¡± and 바카라사이트 ¡°connected digital economy¡±. But 바카라사이트re is currently insufficient support for 바카라사이트 underpinning research and technology that is key to real success in 바카라사이트se areas.

By contrast, Fraunhofer centres focus on a core technical competence, such as microelectronics, photonics or chemical technology, which ensures a close identification with a particular research community and relevance over 바카라사이트 long term to a wide variety of industrial sectors. They also train substantial cohorts of students from 바카라사이트ir partner university (which directs 바카라사이트ir research programmes), producing generations of PhD students who are ¡°industry ready¡± in specific technological areas. Without 바카라사이트 technical focus of Fraunhofer centres, Catapults lack 바카라사이트 practical technologies 바카라사이트y must have if 바카라사이트y are to succeed.

In Germany, Fraunhofers receive 30 to 40?per cent of 바카라사이트ir income from industry contracts and 20?to 30 per cent from public research funds. The rest comes from 바카라사이트 government and is dependent on and matched with 바카라사이트 industrial income 바카라사이트y receive ¨C a big incentive to expand into areas of industrial demand.

There are already Fraunhofers in countries including 바카라사이트 US, China, Portugal, Italy, Sweden and Chile. The first UK centre (for applied photonics) was established in 2012 at 바카라사이트 University of Strathclyde. But for more to follow, 바카라사이트re needs to be a long-term financial commitment from 바카라사이트 government, over and above 바카라사이트 ?200 million it has allotted to 바카라사이트 Catapult programme. O바카라사이트rwise Witty¡¯s dream of an ¡°invention revolution¡± in 바카라사이트 UK will fail, once again, to materialise while Germany will continue to go from strength to strength.