University-Industry Interactions in Civil Sector R&D

Carl A. Sunshine, Walter S. Baer

Expert InsightsPublished 1976

University-industry interactions weakened in the 25 years following World War II, principally as a result of an increased dependence on federal funds for research. Both sectors agree that the links between them need to be reforged, especially in health, energy, the environment, and other research related to the U.S. civilian economy. Consulting and the exchange of people are the most direct ways of linking academic and industrial research. The paper describes three additional mechanisms: (1) direct corporate funding of university research, (2) cooperative (cost sharing) research programs, and (3) creation of university-industry research consortia. Federal agencies are experimenting with a number of other approaches to bring the two sectors together, but the importance of such government programs is by no means clear. Like other aspects of technology transfer, effective university-industry links depend most on the two partners' own incentives to promote the flow of people and ideas.

Document Details

  • Copyright: RAND Corporation
  • Availability: Web Only
  • Year: 1976
  • Pages: 13
  • Document Number: P-5724

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Sunshine, Carl A. and Walter S. Baer, University-Industry Interactions in Civil Sector R&D. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 1976. https://www.rand.org/pubs/papers/P5724.html.
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