University-level innovation policy

In a working paper for the  University of Cambridge Engineering Department, Livesey, O’Sullivan, Hughes, Valli and Minshall (2008) look at strategies, leadership and metrics for innovation at UK universities.

I thought the report a little harsh writing:

'The Australian government, among others, has been accused of believing that “if a high technology/ science park is created, with suitably high-tech buildings, then high technology firms will be attracted to move in from somewhere."'. (p. 16)

However, I then realized the authors were quoting me (Worthington, 1997). ;-)

The report does not draw any clear conclusions, and it does not address the issue of explicitly teaching innovation and entrepreneurship to students or staff. The assumption seems to be that this is something which happens naturally, alongside research.

Reference 

Livesey, F., O’Sullivan, E., Hughes, J., Valli, R., & Minshall, T. (2008). A pilot study on the emergence of university-level innovation policy in the UK. Centre for Economics and Policy Working Papers. URL http://www.ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk/uploads/Research/CIG/UniversityInnovationStrategy_FinalReport_RELEASE_140308.pdf

Worthington, T. (1997), Canberra: Cambridge or Thebes?, Australian Computer Society. URL http://web.archive.org/web/20090211041322/http://www.acs.org.au:80/president/1996/drsit/cmbrdg.htm