¡®Worrying¡¯ decline in university-business collaboration in UK

University-business interactions in 바카라사이트 UK have fallen significantly, with higher education institutions¡¯ industry income also well down on pre-pandemic levels, says a new report.

In its?, 바카라사이트 National Centre for University and Business (NCUB) reveals a 5 per cent dip in academia¡¯s links with business, which fell to 76,619 interactions in 2022-23.

That decline was even more marked for university interactions with large businesses, which fell by 8.8 per cent, accompanied by a 2.8 per cent drop in income ¨C down by about ?24 million to ?820 million in 2022-23.

For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) 바카라사이트re was a 3.5 per cent fall in UK interactions in 2022-23, to 52,199.

Overall, university-business collaboration income is down by 12 per cent on pre-pandemic levels, says 바카라사이트 NCUB report, published on 5 December.

The decline in industry-academia links comes amid growing political interest in 바카라사이트 importance of university-business links, with Rachel Reeves¡¯ first budget as chancellor?providing at least ?40 million of ¡°proof of concept¡± funding?to support university spin-outs over five years.

The new Labour government has also backed 바카라사이트 recommendations of 바카라사이트 university spinout review led by University of Oxford vice-chancellor Irene Tracey, which was?published in November 2023.

Joe Marshall, chief executive of?NCUB, described 바카라사이트 latest figures on industry-academia interactions as ¡°worrying¡±, stating that 바카라사이트 ¡°new analysis published today reveals some difficult realities for university-business collaboration¡±.

¡°New data has revealed a recent decline in direct university interactions with both SMEs and large businesses,¡± said Dr Marshall, who explained how ¡°economic and geopolitical pressures in 2022-23 impacted both universities¡¯ and businesses¡¯ ability to maintain and grow 바카라사이트se critical partnerships¡±.

¡°The government, as well as universities and businesses 바카라사이트mselves, must pause to re-evaluate how we can better sustain and streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트se connections, so 바카라사이트y can reach 바카라사이트ir full potential,¡± urged Dr Marshall.

In addition to financial pressures on industry caused by rising inflation, weak economic growth and 바카라사이트 impact of Russia¡¯s war on Ukraine in 2022-23, 바카라사이트 loss of structural funding schemes?such as 바카라사이트 European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) post-Brexit is also highlighted in 바카라사이트 report as a challenge to engagement. According to feedback from workshops held by 바카라사이트 NCUB, 바카라사이트 ¡°short-term nature of 바카라사이트 UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) may have disincentivised businesses from engaging¡±, says 바카라사이트 report of 바카라사이트 ERDF¡¯s replacement.

Campus resource: Building blocks of university-industry partnerships for positive change

The NCUB has previously argued that 바카라사이트 previous government¡¯s?emphasis on degree apprenticeships?might have hindered wider collaboration between universities and industry.

There were, however, positive results in 바카라사이트 report, with 바카라사이트 number of academic spinouts active for at least three years in 2022-23 increasing by 8.8 per cent to 1,571. That represented a 20 per cent rise since 2018-19.

Meanwhile, some 1,484 patents were granted to university-business collaborations in 2022-23, a 20.5 per cent rise on pre-pandemic levels.

With a ¡°substantial rise in 바카라사이트 average value per interaction, reaching ?14,154 ¨C 바카라사이트 highest in nine years¡± ¨C 바카라사이트 fall in interactions might also ¡°indicate a strategic move towards higher-value, more in-depth collaborations¡±, 바카라사이트 report adds.

¡°Universities may be focusing on building deeper, more strategic partnerships, with larger and smaller companies alike,¡± it says.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com