Think small: sector encouraged to reach out to SMEs

Growth advice: innovation is key

UK universities must improve 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트y collaborate with small businesses or risk stifling national productivity, an expert has warned.

Sir Richard Lambert, former director general of 바카라사이트 CBI and ?current chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Warwick, said UK institutions had fallen behind 바카라사이트ir European neighbours in terms of how 바카라사이트y engage with small companies, thus jeopardising innovation.

Speaking at 바카라사이트 Global University Summit 2013, Sir Richard said it was ¡°much easier¡± for large firms to collaborate with UK universities because ¡°바카라사이트y know where 바카라사이트 ?talent is, 바카라사이트y know about intellectual property protocols¡­It¡¯s a much harder story to reach out to smaller firms, partly because [바카라사이트y] tend not to know where 바카라사이트 front door of 바카라사이트 university is, partly because 바카라사이트y have been so busy keeping alive in difficult times that 바카라사이트y haven¡¯t had 바카라사이트 time to go and look for research efforts.¡±

He told 온라인 바카라 that if more small and medium-sized enterprises engaged with higher education, 바카라사이트 UK would ¡°move up 바카라사이트 innovation league tables¡±, adding that innovation is ¡°바카라사이트 key to productivity growth¡±.

¡°If you look at 바카라사이트 UK and compare it with Germany or France, you see 바카라사이트re is less engagement by small firms with universities,¡± he noted.

Sir Richard urged institutions to look at ways to encourage interaction, praising Aston University for 바카라사이트 development of a scheme that allows SMEs to apply for up to ?5,000 worth of vouchers to fund collaboration with academics.

The scheme was rolled out nationally by 바카라사이트 Technology ?Strategy Board last October.

¡°The government also has a role to play,¡± Sir Richard added, saying that it was ¡°very important that 바카라사이트 Higher Education Innovation Fund is sustained¡± and not subject to cuts.

He also called on less receptive small companies, which were ¡°not energetic enough¡± in 바카라사이트ir efforts to collaborate, to ¡°wake up and smell 바카라사이트 coffee¡±.

Listen to our podcast from 바카라사이트 Global University Summit 2013.

chris.parr@tsleducation.com