Andreas Christofides Director of Administration and Finance University of Cyprus

Transcription

1 Andreas Christofides Director of Administration and Finance University of Cyprus

2 European Commission Knowledge transfer consists of activities which aim to capture and transmit knowledge (either explicit such as patents or tacit such as know-how), skills and competence from those who generate knowledge to those who will transform it into economic outcome. Knowledge transfer includes commercial and noncommercial activities such as Research collaborations, consultancy, licensing, spin-off creation, researcher s mobility and publication. 2

3 Michael Polanyi, 1966 Explicit = codified knowledge which is transmittable in formal systematic language Tacit = has a personal quality which makes it hard to formalize and communicate ( We know more than we can tell ) 3

4 Modes of the Knowledge Creation Ikujiro Nonaka 4

5 Europe versus USA in Knowledge Transfer Two recent surveys (conducted by Pro-Ton and ASTP- Association of European Science and Technology Transfer Professionals) have shown the following: European institutions lag behind USA counterparts regarding: Invention disclosures Patent application Patent grants Europe performs better regarding the number of start-ups established, although the revenue generated by the licences is less than USA 5

6 Government spending on R&D derived from COFOG breakdown in

7 EU Member States innovation performance 7

8 European countries innovation performance 8

9 Innovation Union Scoreboard Indicators 9

10 10

11 11

12 Convergence in innovation performance 12

13 Member States innovation performance per dimension 13

14 Member States innovation performance per dimension 14

15 Indicators used in the international comparison 15

16 Indicator values relative to the EU27 (EU27=100) 16

17 Annual average growth per indicator and average country growth 17

18 Lefkosia Knowledge Area Proposed by the University of Cyprus, under study Main Purpose: To create a knowledge area in the town of Lefkosia to promote innovation for improving the Cyprus economy competitiveness. Knowledge and innovation are the key principles for the creation of wealth (not of the capital). Targets: To attract worker of knowledge in the area of Lefkosia To establish cooperation among the public and private Universities of Cyprus [3 public, 4 private] To develop cooperation between the Cyprus industry, local authorities and universitiesresearch institutions To achieve the highest result according to the Lisbon target of eight (8) researchers for every one thousand (1000) inhabitants [intensity problem] To adjust various solutions efficiently applied in big countries 18

19 Lefkosia Knowledge Area Depending on the triple helix: [Knowledge society-innovation-economic Development] Suggestions: There are 10 suggestions and among them the following: To develop a body of intermediation between universities and companies To create a science-technology park in Lefkosia To establish a special committee for the project (government, local authorities, various municipalities, employers, federations,universities etc) Creation of a post-graduate school, a medical school in the University of Cyprus etc Concentration of various institutions on a certain triangle Centre of Lefkosia-University-Cyprus Research Institute 19

20 Diogenes Business Incubator, UCY Cyprus based business incubator focused on high technology / Private entity wholly owned by the University of Cyprus. Funded partially for three years ( ). The government programme stopped. Aims to support the development of entrepreneurship and start up companies in Cyprus. Diogenes was incorporated in 2003 and began operations in 2004 under the Cyprus Government Program for Creating High Technology Enterprises through Business Incubators. Diogenes has 9 portfolio companies. Diogenes holds equity stakes in all portfolio companies and aims to enhance the value of the start ups. 20

21 Diogenes Business Incubator, UCY Vision : Diogenes vision is to pioneer in the transformation of Cyprus into an important center in the Eastern Mediterranean in the area of commercializing high technology research and innovative ideas. Value Adding Services: Research Support Business Minded Research Training / Coaching Business Planning Strategic Business Coaching Networking Funding Access, Funds Sourcing Ad hoc Technical Support Accommodation [furnished/equipped Office, lab leasing, access to broadband internet, telephone, office equipment, meeting rooms facilities] Back Office Support [Secretarial and Reception Services] Legal /Accounting /Taxation expertise Strategic Business Coaching Marketing / Sales Support 21

22 Cyprus Entrepreneurship Competition Organised by University of Cyprus / Since 2003 Funded by the Cyprus Government, University of Cyprus and Development Bank Aims to Nurture entrepreneurial culture among young scientists in Cyprus and Challenge them to transform their ideas into real business opportunities and future leading companies Participants: 100 teams with more than 400 members in 8 competitions overall Three (3) stages of Cyprus Entrepreneurship Competition: 1 st stage: the business idea (3-4 pages) 2 nd stage: the business plan 3 rd stage: oral presentation 22

23 Cyprus Entrepreneurship Competition Awards and prizes of the competition: 1 st prize: 10,000 2 nd prize: 5,000 3 rd prize: 3,500 The big prize of the competition: The winner has the chance to create his/her own high-tech company Results: 13 companies have been created during the first seven (7) years of operation Since 2009, the Cyprus Research Promotion Foundation offers a sponsorship regarding an Entrepreneurship Competition for the Universities of UNICA Network (sponsorship every two years) 23

24 UNICA Entrepreneurship Competition UNICA is a network of 42 universities from the capital cities of Europe The current president of UNICA is Professor Stavros Zenios, former Rector of the University of Cyprus The UNICA Entrepreneurship Competition is sponsored by the Cyprus Research Promotion Foundation The competition will run every two years, starting in 2009 The awards will be accompanied by the commemorative plaque and a monetary prize as follows First Prize 20,000 Second Prize 10,000 Sixteen Universities took part in the 2009 competition 24

25 Mobility in education 25

26 Government initiative 1. Cyprus Research Promotion Foundation 2. Science Park (decided 5 years ago, but not established yet) 3. Business incubators (developed for 3 years, there are no funds nowadays) Typical Research Promotion Foundation accepting research proposals on a competitive basis 4. Human Resource Development Authority 0.5% Levi on the salaries of businesses /// Funding training courses in Cyprus and abroad, internships, work experience programmes etc 26

27 Incentives for Knowledge Transfer (academic staff UCY) 1. One sabbatical semester every three years of work 2. Increase of up to 110% on salary payment through consultancy (one day per week) or research income earned by external research programmes 3. Up to 85,000 for start-up funds (for new academic staff members) 4. Research accounts ( 2,000-10,000 per year) directly from University / 25% of the overheads (40%-60%) from consultancy / Research overhead (60%) 5. Copyrights, Patents etc Staff 50% University of Cyprus 20% Research account 30% 6. Discussion for allowing the establishment of spin-offs companies by staff 7. University Liaison Office for Industry and Market (new projects under establishment, funded by the European Union / collaboration of six Universities) 27

28 Incentives for Knowledge Transfer (administrative staff UCY) 1. Five (5) days per year for local training 2. Fifteen (15) persons per year for one-week training on international ERASMUS programmes (open to every member of administrative staff in order to gather international experience) 3. Mentoring programmes for new members of admin. staff (proposed for implementation in 2011) 4. One-year working experience programmes used for some of the UCY s employees (funded by the Cyprus Human Resource Development Authority) 5. Strict rules concerning the participation of members of admin. staff in European research activities / Collaboration of admin. staff and academic staff, is preferred in such projects 6. Emphasis on explicit knowledge than tacit (Michael Polanyi s distinction) Introduction of new technical processes and tools, importing and absorbing technological and market knowledge rather than experimenting and prototyping 7. Shared problem solving through quality circles (in decline), blogs and technology Routines implemented in a different way 28

29 Andreas Christofides Director of Administration and Finance University of Cyprus