Industry/Academic Links: Developing cooperation for competitiveness A major conference entitled "Industry/Academic Links: Innovative partnerships for competitiveness" was organized in Coventry, UK, on 14 and 15 May 1998, by the Midlands Innovation Relay Centre, with support from the UK Presidency. Encouraging industry and academia to cooperate... A major conference entitled "Industry/Academic Links: Innovative partnerships for competitiveness" was organized in Coventry, UK, on 14 and 15 May 1998, by the Midlands Innovation Relay Centre, with support from the UK Presidency. Encouraging industry and academia to cooperate more effectively, particularly through highlighting successful examples of partnerships from around Europe is one of the key solutions - from the Commission's Action Plan on Innovation - to reducing Europe's "Innovation deficit". This deficit stems from the research results of Europe's successful scientists and researchers not being transformed into commercially viable products. This high-profile conference brought together some of Europe's leading policy-makers, academics and industrialists. Presentations of successful collaboration between the two sectors from around Europe, backed up by case studies and workshops, aimed to stimulate the exchange of good practice. Topics covered in workshops included: setting up campus companies and spin-offs; project-based collaboration; intellectual property rights policies, and the role of networks and public agencies. Other workshops looked at specific case studies from different countries or technological sectors. The conference was opened by John Battle, the UK's Minister for Science, Energy and Industry, who underlined the importance of "good collaborative links between academic and industrial researchers" if "the high quality of our academic research in Europe is to be matched by our ability to produce high-tech goods, processes and services which can be winners in the global market place". An important example of good practice from the UK, outlined by Mr. Battle, is the Foresight scheme. This was designed to ensure that British researchers could identify areas where technological development could have the greatest impact on improving the UK's industrial competitiveness. One major benefit from Foresight, according to Minister Battle was that, "In the UK, it has also been about creating connections, particularly between the public and private sectors and between the academic world and industry". The involvement of industrialists has meant that Foresight is "much more than just an academic exercise", being a "vibrant and stimulating vehicle for new ideas, new relationships, new research and new products". The conference was also addressed by Edith Cresson, European Commissioner for science, research and innovation, who emphasized the work which the EU is carrying out to reduce the innovation deficit in Europe and to improve Europe's competitiveness. Whilst action is needed at all levels - regional, national and European - and from industry, universities and financiers, the EU is seeking to address many of the problems through the Action Plan on Innovation and the upcoming Fifth RTD Framework Programme, as well as through other initiatives. A major initiative launched by Mrs. Cresson in December 1997 is an in-depth consultation exercise on means to encourage and support the creation of new high-tech firms. Campus companies and spin-offs are typical of the sorts of new high-tech companies which the Commission's initiative aims to support. Another range of activities which the Commission is supporting aims to develop the sources of venture capital which are available to such high-tech companies for start-up or expansion. The I-TEC, and Growth and Employment initiatives, and the European Technology Facility have all been launched in the past year. Using only around ECU 380 million of EU funding over the next few years, these initiatives should leverage as much as ECU 2 billion in venture capital investment in innovation-oriented activities. Countries United Kingdom
