Evaluation of research collaboration between university and industry

Abstract

University-industry research collaboration is an essential, effective and dynamic factor not only for development of social community but also for the development of a nation. Despite the enormous importance of this collaboration, there have been problems with successful collaborations such as time, training, different perceptions, orientations, goals, intellectual property right issues, technological competency, fund and financial matters. These are the key constraints that may affect this collaboration. Thus to tackle the cause of these problems and to analyse the strength and weaknesses of this collaboration viewed as technological linkage, evaluations of these research collaborations are very important. Evaluations of research collaboration have generated attention amongst scientists due to its feasibility, determination and technological value. This research focussed on the development of an evaluation model, that is not only responsible for the generation of a robust set of evaluation metrics but also highlights the influential constraints, success criteria and tangible outcomes. To develop this model, mixed methods research methodology using quantitative and qualitative methods were applied to collect data. The model is simple, efficient and has an auspicious value for the evaluation of research collaboration between a university and the industry. It is capable of evaluating the strength or weakness of a collaboration as well as demonstrating how successful collaboration can be achieved. Successful research collaboration between a university and the industry would have high impact on the nation and economy of the nation. Moreover, this research has a significant value, not only for the scientists and business analysts but also for policy makers. To enhance the capability and efficiency of this model, it is highly recommended that government sectors be included in the surveys and interviews due to the fact that public policies may directly and indirectly affect universities and industries that are involved in research collaborations