March 1, 2023

Warnings and Contingencies Between Universities and Companies

On September 29, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) released the Global Innovation Index, in which Mexico fell three places from the previous year, ranking 58th out of 132 countries.

Four of the five most important science and technology clusters are located in East Asia—one in Japan, two in China, and one in South Korea—while the fifth is in the United States. These hubs are identified by analyzing patent applications and scientific publications, which provide a clear indication of the geographic areas with the highest concentration of inventors and scientific authors in the world.

Ideally, for Mexico, the scientific and technological advances already achieved in university settings will be transformed into opportunities for technology transfer, which will strengthen innovation capabilities within companies and society, thereby fostering the development of technological capabilities to address the uncertainties of today’s competitive global environment.

This requires companies and the government to work together to develop initiatives that support the development of technologies emerging from laboratories, so that they become attractive investment opportunities and lead to new business lines or new companies.

The timely translation of scientific research findings from universities and research centers yields significant benefits, not only for businesses but also for society, as these findings lead to solutions for issues related to health, the environment, poverty, and security, among others.

In this case, collaboration between companies and universities is important for the following reasons:

It promotes the creation of state-of-the-art research and development centers tailored to the needs of industry and society.
It facilitates the creation of scientific and technological networks involving university researchers in the industry.
It establishes the thematic areas for co-investment to support the development of technologies emerging from university settings, as well as the implementation of specific industrial scaling projects that facilitate technology transfer.
It creates incentives for university researchers by allocating financial resources to those who collaborate with companies on R&D&I projects.
It strengthens R&D&I infrastructure and equipment through joint investments in equipment for laboratories and research centers.

Mexico needs more innovation, and this requires both increased investment in science and technology and the creation of highly stimulating cultural environments and clear government policies on science, technology, and innovation.

This raises the following question: Is it possible to build a joint (university-business) capacity for action based on shared scientific and business perspectives?

By relying on foreign technology, companies stifle scientific and technological innovation in the academic sphere and, as a result, create highly exclusive labor markets that can only absorb workers with minimal or intermediate qualifications, offering productive employment only to relatively small groups of people with college degrees or equivalent qualifications.

In Finland, for example, students nearing graduation complete their theses in collaboration with a company, fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas and knowledge. Under this model, university research is increasingly being translated into spin-off projects carried out through private initiatives. Technology transfer centers are now a standard feature of any university.

Experience shows that companies are more likely to be interested in an invention they helped create than in using an invention that is the result of research in which they were not involved.

Likewise, universities must have internationally competent researchers who are dedicated to applied research or have knowledge of the innovation management process. Statistics show that, in the United States, 91% of public universities and 6% of independent universities that grant doctoral degrees have a relationship with research-based industry.

Understanding both the role of business in providing strategic funding and the contribution of universities means recognizing that innovation is a collective endeavor; the interactions between the various stakeholders are a critical part of the process.