Narrating commercialisation: Swedish university researchers and outreach

This paper is a qualitative study of commercialisation activities in Swedish universities from the perspective of researchers. Our goal is twofold: (i) to elucidate researchers’ understanding of the meaning of concept of commercialisation and (ii) their reasons for engaging in this activity. By providing insight into researchers understanding and rationale for engaging in commercialisation activities, we hope to contribute to deepening understanding of commercialisation and ultimately improving practice. Our findings are that there is a significant amount of activity with respect commercialisation of research taking place within the Swedish universities studied. We found that contrary to the received view which has it that the social sciences and the humanities are also involved in commercialisation activities although researchers in this part of the academy rarely reported themselves as engaging in the commercialisation. We also found that regardless of disciplinary background, firm formation is the aspect of commercialisation to which researchers are most ambivalent.Commercialisation, humanities, social science, firm formation, third stream, outreach

Fellespotten i Regionale forskningsfond – status og utviklingsmuligheter

I denne rapporten presenteres en analyse av den såkalte fellespotten i Regionale forsk-ningsfond. Fellespotten utgjør 15 prosent av de midlene som årlig bevilges til Regionale Forskningsfond, og skal brukes til felles utlysninger i samarbeid mellom regionene for å stimulere til felles satsinger. Formålet med analysen er å gjennomføre en evaluering av ordningen og fremme forslag om videre utvikling av den

FWF Clusters of Excellence. Evaluation of the selection process for the first call for proposals

In 2021, the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) launched its Clusters of Excellence (CoE) programme as the first stage in the excellent=austria initiative. The plan was to fund about four clusters – consisting of three to eight collaborating organisations each – selected based on a 2-stage international peer review process. The clusters’ annual budgets can be €2 to 7 million, of which the FWF funds 60% and the research institutions hosting the clusters the remaining 40%. FWF provides funding for five years, with the possibility of an additional five years. This report presents the results of an accompanying evaluation of the selection procedures for the first call for Clusters of Excellence, and recommendations for developing the procedures for the second call. It is based on analyses of application and review data, surveys to applicants and expert reviewers, interviews with host institutions, members of the international jury assessing the proposals, the FWF board and other stakeholders, as well as observation of jury meetings. A statement by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) on this evaluation can be found at: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.836328

A Better understanding of Interdisciplinary research in Climate Change

This paper is divided into two main parts, the first of which reviews some of the literature on interdisciplinary research collaboration and categorises articles according to their contribution. The second part of the paper reviews the development of the field of climate change and examines the increasing importance of collaboration both between scientific disciplines, between physical and social scientists and with other stakeholders

Between entrepreneurship and technology transfer: Evaluation of the FORNY programme

This report is the result of an evaluation of the FORNY programme commissioned by the Re-search Council of Norway. The background for the evaluation is that the current programme period will be terminated by the end of 2009, and the results of the evaluation will be an im-portant basis for designing the future programme

Excellence initiatives in Nordic research policies. Policy issues - tensions and options

This report presents results from a research project (PEAC) studying the impact of funding schemes for Centres of Excellence (CoE) in the Nordic countries

Lokale systemer for kommersialisering av forskningsbasert kunnskap

Denne rapporten har som siktemål å kartlegge og sammenligne kommersialiseringssystemer i de tre norske universitetsbyene Oslo, Trondheim og Tromsø. Felles for de ulike tilnærmingene til innovasjonssystemer og kommersialiseringsprosesser i litteraturen er at kommersialiseringssystemer knyttes til systemets aktører, de ulike formene for relasjoner og samhandlingsformer mellom dem og hvordan disse i sum danner et system

The technology transfer process : a study of NTNU TTO

Over the years there has been an increased belief in university’s role as contributor to innovation. This has led to new policies that further have led to establishment of technology transfer offices (TTO) at most universities. This thesis analyses the characteristics of the technology transfer process of a newly established Norwegian TTO. The introduction of a TTO as a new actor in an already established relationship between university and industry denotes some tensions. These tensions are illuminated in this thesis through the study of the NTNU TTO and the selection phases of the technology transfer process against the backdrop of previous studies of TTOs and the concepts of national innovation systems and the “triple helix”. Five phases of selection are identified: (1) research phase; (2) assessment phase; (3) development phase; (4) proof of technology phase and finally (5) transfer phase. This model captures the different actors and their relations. The analyses show that the NIS and the triple helix are complementary, and not contrasting, concepts for analysing the technology transfer process and the relation between the participating actors. Further it argues that several tensions are evident in the technology transfer process. This is apparent in TTO’s relations towards its owner, the researchers, the industry and the system as a whole

Researcher identities and practices inside centres of excellence

Many science support mechanisms aim to combine excellent research with explicit expectations of societal impact. Temporary research centres such as ‘Centres of Excellence’ and ‘Centre of Excellence in Research and Innovation’ have become widespread. These centres are expected to produce research that creates future economic benefits and contributes to solving society’s challenges, but little is known about the researchers that inhabit such centres. In this paper, we ask how and to what extent centres affect individual researchers’ identity and scientific practice. Based on interviews with 33 researchers affiliated with 8 centres in Sweden and Norway, and on institutional logics as the analytical framework, we find 4 broad types of identities with corresponding practices. The extent to which individuals experience tensions depend upon the compatibility and centrality of the two institutional logics of excellence and innovation within the centre context. Engagement in innovation seems unproblematic and common in research-oriented centres where the centrality of the innovation logic is low, while individuals in centres devoted to both science and innovation in emerging fields of research or with weak social ties to their partners more frequently expressed tension and dissatisfaction