The Policy Learning Platform (PLP) organised its next research and innovation webinar on 11th March 2021 with the focus on university-industry collaboration. This topic is relevant to the second phase of the Medtech4 Europe project in which STRIA South Transdanubian Regional Innovation Agency Nonprofit Ltd. participates as the Hungarian partner. In this second phase two local (South- Transdanubian) action plans and one pilot action will be implemented in which the collaboration between the University of Pécs and the medtech industry will have a significant role.
During the online seminar the speakers highlighted that the collaboration is a critical component of the innovation process. Regional policymakers are thus devising policy instruments to promote knowledge transfer between science and industry to strengthen their regional innovation systems. To reach this goal, they must design place-based policies adapted to their regional institutional contexts. These policy instruments can be divided into financial, regulatory, or soft tools and it can happen through formal and informal channels. The presenters also mentioned that the right policy-mix must be applied to get the most of it.
Source: University-Industry Collaboration | READ online (oecd-ilibrary.org)
In the second half of the workshop Valeria Pignedoli as the general director of the Mister Smart Innovation promoted their good practice which represents a public-private partnership. The two main shareholders are CNR National Research Council and the Universities of Ferrara and Parma furthermore several companies which operate in various manufacturing sectors. The mission is to foster university-industry collaboration and develop technological innovations. Their main sectors are Health Tech, Smart Materials and Industry 4.0. Another example was the Regional University – Business Strategy which was launched by the Regional government of Junta de Castilla y León. Beside the Regional Ministry of Education grouped its activities into four major actions in the University- Business Knowledge Transfer Programme which are the following:
- innovative university,
- business-university projects,
- entrepreneurial university,
- innovative ecosystem.
Furthermore, two contests and a market-oriented prototype programme were introduced as the examples for ensuring the opportunity for knowledge transfer, link university research to market needs and transform university knowledge into companies.
The PLP seminar supports new ideas regarding the local action plan in Medtech4 Europe which will be considered during the accomplishment in the second phase.
