ONGOING PROJECTS
* "Study on University-business cooperation in the US" - project funded by the European Commission, DG Education and Culture (2012-2013)
The overall objective of this study is to support the work of the European Commission and Member States within the Education and Training work programme, by providing information and examples of university-business cooperation from a North-American context. The specific objective is to provide an exploratory study looking at best practices in university-business cooperation in the US and Canada, and focus on what could be learned and applied in a European context.
* “Improving knowledge sharing among industry, university and government: the influence of institutional interactions and the patent system” - project funded by the Valencian Conselleria d’Educació (2012-2013)
The aim of this project is to make science policy recommendations on how to ensure that technological collaboration between different institutions and patent examiners’ practices improve the use of knowledge for industrial applications. To reach this aim, three objectives are defined:
- To explain the relation between technological collaboration and access to the public knowledge base worldwide;
- To explain the degree of trust existing in a patent system worldwide;
- To study in detail the case of the Valencian Community.
* "Neither basic nor applied? University research types, outcomes and regions" - project funded by the Spanish High Council for Scientific Research (2012-2013)
The objectives of this project are:
- To propose a classification a university research that is useful to understand the scientific processes of university researchers based on their perceptions, since the current distinction between basic and applied research presents several weaknesses;
- To improve understanding about the relation between university research activities and their outcomes, linking such outcomes to the proposed new types of university research;
- To better understand whether researchers generate such outcomes within or beyond regional borders.
The project will provide policy recommendations regarding funding priorities for some types of research or others, subject to the different outcomes each type leads to, and to the desired balance between activities inside and outside the region.
RECENT PROJECTS
* "A review of the scientific discussion on the gender-specific aspects of the evaluation of funding proposals and the awarding of funding" - project funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) (2010-2011).
The purpose of this project was to provide a systematic collection of studies and scientific results on the topic of "Research Funding and Gender", which was necessary for DFG as the basis of a discussion for improving its funding procedures of female researchers. This information should make it possible to assess the situation, both in Germany and in the DFG, in an international context. The project provided a summary of current international empirical research (including annotated bibliography) on the gender-specific differences in application behaviour and prerequisites (e.g. timing of applications, (professional) background, resources, publications and re-applications when rejected); gender-specific effects of peer review procedures (e.g. correlation of personal characteristics and decisions); and gender-specific evaluation of scientific merit (e.g. publications, networks, etc.)
* Triple Helix 9 International Conference (11-14 July 2011)
After Amsterdam, New York, Rio de Janeiro, Copenhagen/Lund, Turin, Singapore, Glasgow and Madrid, the 9th Triple Helix International Conference was hosted for the first time in Silicon Valley – the world’s leading innovation and high-tech hub – by Stanford University’s H-STAR Institute and Triple Helix Research Group on 11-14 July 2011. Focusing on the theme “Silicon Valley: Global Model or Unique Anomaly?”, the Conference was a remarkable event in the innovation field. It attracted 270 leading academics, prominent policy-makers and business people, venture capitalists, business angels, consultants and entrepreneurs from 37 countries. The conference explored the inner workings of Silicon Valley and other international technology conurbations, in parallel with strategic innovation policy and practice issues in developed and developing countries. It discussed the challenges and benefits of the collaboration between the institutional spheres of University, Industry and Government, show-cased best practice, explored new models for knowledge transfer, and appraised the success of the third mission of universities.
* “Monitoring knowledge flows in the European Research Area based on analysis of university references in patents in the EU27 Member States” - project funded by the European Commission, DG Research/ERAWATCH (2008- 2009)
The specific objective of the project was the production of data about the relations among the components of the European Research Area (ERA), with a special focus on the links between university and the patenting actors. This project proposed an approach for the monitoring of knowledge flows in the ERA and produced data about university references in patent documents by geographic origin.
* “Women’s participation and career progress in technology transfer, incubation and entrepreneurship in four EU countries (UK, Finland, Germany, Romania)” - project funded by the European Commission, DG Research (2006- 2008)
This project took as its objective the extension of statistical data on women’s role in technology transfer and related S&T interface fields, as well as research and scientific decision-making. Interface fields are increasingly central to achieving European objectives of mining science for economic utility and resolving the so-called ‘European Paradox’. More specifically, the project looked at: the rate and level of participation of women in transfer, incubation and entrepreneurship organizations in the four countries of concern to the study (UK, Finland, Germany, Romania); the cause of differences (e.g. structural and organisational factors, gender issues or a combination); comparison of the position of women in traditional organisations such as academia and industry, with that of women in the TIE professions; difference in the position of women in TIE across the countries and reasons for that.
* “Identification and analysis of research investment policies in the top nine non-EU R&D spenders, relevant to the implementation of the Lisbon Agenda” - project funded by the European Commission, DG Research/ERAWATCH (2006- 2007)
The project aimed at improving the understanding of key developments and trends regarding research investment policy in nine non-EU countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and the US) and drawing conclusions relevant to the Lisbon strategy in support of research policy-making. The specific objective of the contract was to identify the lessons that EU policy-makers can draw from research investment policy developments elsewhere and the impact that the research strategies of major non-EU countries can have on their own competitive position and that of the EU.
* “Science and the City: Best Practice in International Knowledge-based Entrepreneurship Policy and Practice for Northeast England’ - project funded by Newcastle City Council, UK (2007)
The project presents three examples of best practice in technology transfer and entrepreneurship policies and programmes that could provide inspiration for the North East England regional innovation environment, within a Triple Helix framework of university-industry-government interactions: Linkoping Entrepreneur Mentoring Programme in Sweden, Edinburgh/Stanford University Link in the UK, and the Leuven R&D technology transfer office of the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium.
