Proposal #4: Increasing the Role of the Private Sector in the Provision of Educational Infrastructure

Proposal # 5: Building Linkages between HEIs and Employers in the Public and Private Sectors

218 A more innovative and knowledge-driven economy must be underpinned by closer linkages and greater collaboration between research institutes, HEIs and industry. The HEC has recognized the need to enhance university-industry linkages and has already taken steps to address the issue. Among the initiatives included in the MTDF are:

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  the launch of a University-Industry Technology Support Program;
  
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  a requirement that public HEIs and DAIs to establish career centers and develop links with industry;
  
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  development of university/industry collaborative programs involving a minimum 20 percent matching contribution from industry; and
  
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  development of National Centers at public universities/DAIs in areas deemed to be priorities for the socio-economic development of the country.
  

219 The initiatives in the MTDF represent important steps in bridging the academia-industry divide. However, two key problems with the proposals should be addressed. First, it needs to be recognized that a number of factors constrain public institutions’ ability to deliver the tuition, research and other services that are valued by industry and the private sector and that represent the basis for developing sustainable university-industry linkages. These include: (i) bureaucratic and inflexible institutional governance arrangements, which slow down decision-making; (ii) rigid institutional employment arrangements, including the inclusion of public HEIs under PSC pay and employment rules; and (iii) an outdated curriculum, coupled with academic processes that make curriculum change a difficult and time consuming task.

220 It is important, therefore, that these problems be addressed during the development and implementation of the HEC’s university-industry linkages initiatives. For example, in developing National Centers, the HEC should ensure that these organizations are established as private/autonomous research centers or companies attached to public universities. These research centers would operate outside the public service and would have greater staffing, spending and operational flexibility than public HEIs. Such an arrangement would allow for staff sharing and provide a marriage of universities’ research capacity and the flexibility and industry relevance inherent in a private sector organization. Such organizations would be better placed to develop and commercialize basic research.