Sustainability of research centres – key challenges and approaches
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Sustainability of Research Centres – Key Challenges and ApproachesRichard O’Connell
04/08/232
Why is this important?
It is estimated that the eLearning market will be worth $107.3 billion in 20151
Overall annual impact of European RTOs is estimated to be in the range €25-40bn2
Programme for Research in Third-Level Institutions (PRTLI) linked to creation of 1,255 jobs3
PRTLI investment : 43 spin-out companies with commercial impact of €753 million5
Macro-factors
= High-growth area
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Why is this important?
Horizon 2020 : Running from 2014 to 2020 with an €80 billion budget, the EU’s new programme for research and innovation is part of the drive to create new growth and jobs in Europe4
Contribution of industry focused research should be valued to the same extent as academic focused research in order to optimise the overall potential for social and economic returns5
Trends
= Commercialisation
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Why is this important?
RTOs coordinate about a third of EU projects and they create major European networks of participants2
Ireland’s share of world citations is greater than its share of world papers6
Micro-factors
= Good foundations
04/08/235
Why is this important?
It is estimated that the eLearning market will be worth $107.3 billion in 20151
Overall annual impact of European RTOs is estimated to be in the range €25-40bn2
Programme for Research in Third-Level Institutions (PRTLI) linked to creation of 1,255 jobs3
PRTLI investment : 43 spin-out companies with commercial impact of €753 million5
Horizon 2020 : Running from 2014 to 2020 with an €80 billion budget, the EU’s new programme for research and innovation is part of the drive to create new growth and jobs in Europe4
Contribution of industry focused research should be valued to the same extent as academic focused research in order to optimise the overall potential for social and economic returns5
RTOs coordinate about a third of EU projects and they create major European networks of participants2
Ireland’s share of world citations is greater than its share of world papers6
Macro-factors
= High-growth area
Trends
= Commercialisation
Micro-factors
= Good foundations
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Sustainability
“Operating today in a way which does not inhibit the organisation’s ability to do so tomorrow”7
+With a focus on growth
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Key Challenges
Funding
Balance
• Recession• Centres believed it was unlikely that the HEI block grants and institutional budgets would be sufficient to sustain all current centres at their current level of Activity5
• Large percentage of research budgets (up to 85 per cent in some cases) is to support existing contracts. The ability of funding agencies to launch new schemes will decline10
• No funding source for equipment maintenance nor for periodic upgrades5
• Substantial infrastructural supports for technology platforms9
• A time frame of the order of 10 years is expected before centres will operate as true RTO centres5
• In a healthy research environment a diversity of research centres in terms of scale and mission is both normal and desirable5 • National funding but global customers2
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Key Challenges
Local Issues
• Low SME involvement8
• Lack of clarity in relation to the career pathway for researchers5
• Ireland’s innovation system has made significant progress, it is still not as advanced as other longer established systems (e.g.. Finland and Sweden)5
• Little reported movement between academia and enterprise2
• Women are significantly under-represented by international standards at senior levels in the Irish research system2
• A relatively poor level of collaboration within Ireland6
• May be a capacity problem in that the most competitive researchers are often over-committed8
Moving Targets
• Confusion in the international context around the term ‘research centre’5
• National Research Prioritisation Exercise (NRPE)5
• EU Direction4
• Performance metrics, stage gate milestones, reporting5
• Visibility3
• RTOs have been systematically ignored in ERA development and discussions2
• Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation5
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ApproachesUse of HEI infrastructure.
Focus on collaboration and commercialisation.
Differences in funding sources and industry vs. academic focus5.
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ApproachesDCU Research Strategic Framework 2009‐20149
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ApproachesDCU Research Strategic Framework 2009‐20149
What is happening in here?
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High-performing Business
High-performing Business Start-up MindsetStart-up Mindset Think Outside the
Box
Think Outside the Box
Metrics
Compliance
Quarterly reviews
Tools and processes
Continuous Improvement
Reporting
Sales Capability
Adaptable and Responsive
Customer Focused
Bootstrapping
Do one thing well
Prototyping
Fail Fast
Seek Mentors
Build a Culture
Accept some Uncertainty
Collaborate with Everyone
Openness and Transparency
Sharing
Vision
All built upon the values of Integrity & Curiosity
References1. IBEC - Delivering for Business - Enterprise, science and technology / Key issues /
Innovation / Research prioritisation initiative
2. Impacts of European RTOs-A Study of Social and Economic Impacts of Research and Technology Organisations
3. Ten Years On: Confirming Impacts from Research Investment
4. Horizon 2020 - the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation - European Commission
5. Sustainability of Research Centres - Advisory Science Council - An Comhairle Eolaíochta | www.sciencecouncil.ie
6. Research strengths in Ireland: A bibliometric study of the public research base - Forfás - Ireland´s Policy Advisory Board For Enterprise, Trade, Science, Technology and Innovation
7. Monitoring the Sustainability of the Public Sector ResearchEstablishments, www.biz.gov.uk
8. Playing our Part: Statement on Horizon 2020 - Forfás
9. Research and Innovation Support - Research Strategy | DCU
10. We must act to secure research funding - The Irish Times - Thu, Dec 22, 2011