University Technology & Economic Development - The URC: A Proposed Model for Innovation and IP Capital Deployment

This paper describes an organizational model – the University Research Corporation (URC) - that would serve to expedite the development and deployment of technology in alignment with the mission of a college or university that conducts research. Three major areas for the proposed organization – Structure, Intellectual Property, and Economic Development – are described that employ any or all of three types of partners anticipated for the URC, namely academic, governmental and industrial

Quo Vadis? Public Colleges and Their Funding

This paper reviews the current debate about the motivation, adequacy and distribution of funding for public colleges. Although the debate has been ongoing for some time, it has become especially heated in recent years due to serious budget problems in many states. In addition, the paper outlines significant trends in higher education which appear to be a reaction to the increasing tuition costs, demographic changes and expectations of employment from a college education. It is expected that the trends in distance education growth, part-time attendance, competition from for-profit colleges, lower subsidy from the state, stagnant population, the lack of college-ready matriculants, and the demand for increased efficiency will forever change the public college landscape in the next decade or two

Supplementing Engineering Education with Business Training

A typical engineering curriculum often leaves little time in a four-year program for a budding engineer to learn about the business aspects of the company he may join soon after graduation. The outcome of little business knowledge in the commercial application of technology by engineering graduates is a lack of understanding of the importance of their contribution to the company’s bottom line. For those engineers who value business knowledge for their future profession, the alternatives for business training have been to take regular MBA courses when possible or settle for short certificate programs in a business school. In this paper we offer a list of business training topics that would prove useful for those engineers who wish to align their work in technology with the financial goals of a company in the commercial sector. Further, these topics would well serve those engineers who aspire to become managers and perhaps go on to found companies of their own. The importance of receiving business training early in their career may prove useful in accelerating their promotion to management levels or to greater success as an entrepreneur. Suggestions are made how an engineering curriculum can be structured to allow such business training topics to be covered for the benefit of all engineering students and then for those select few who wish to combine business with technology in their careers

Economic Development at a Public University - A Process Model and Associated Metrics

A university has long been considered an institution of higher learning with the immutable dual goals of research and teaching. A “public” university, however, has also had the founding principle of service, the performance of which is often linked to the region from which it receives public funds. Recently, this service component has morphed to playing an active role in regional economic development. This paper reviews the factors that have led to the situation in which a public university must define a relevant and significant set of objectives for itself in improving the economy of the community it serves. Further, a process model is suggested along with associated metrics, based on practices followed at several universities each of which has played a major role in regional economic development

Supplemting Engineering Education with Business Training

A typical engineering curriculum often leaves little time in a four-year program for a budding engineer to learn about the business aspects of the company he may join soon after graduation. The outcome of little business knowledge in the commercial application of technology by engineering graduates is a lack of understanding of the importance of their contribution to the company’s bottom line. For those engineers who value business knowledge for their future profession, the alternatives for business training have been to take regular MBA courses when possible or settle for short certificate programs in a business school. In this paper we offer a list of business training topics that would prove useful for those engineers who wish to align their work in technology with the financial goals of a company in the commercial sector. Further, these topics would well serve those engineers who aspire to become managers and perhaps go on to found companies of their own. The importance of receiving business training early in their career may prove useful in accelerating their promotion to management levels or to greater success as an entrepreneur. Suggestions are made how an engineering curriculum can be structured to allow such business training topics to be covered for the benefit of all engineering students and then for those select few who wish to combine business with technology in their careers