The main mission of Universities is creation and dissemination of knowledge for the betterment of mankind. Universities acquire knowledge through research and other means, to disseminate it through teaching, publications and professional forums. University-Industry linkage is the channels through which knowledge and technology in universities are transferred to the industry to be integrated into products and services.
Ethiopia has constructed a lot of industrial parks in many corners. As higher education institutions are also increasing in number and capacity it is a time when to strengthen the linkage with industries.
Higher Education institutions are widely recognized as essential contributors to economic development through their role in producing the knowledge, skills, and innovations needed to drive their respective national economies. In addition to producing work-ready graduates for the job market, higher education institutions also play a pivotal role in conducting research and incubating scientific and technological innovations. The outcome of research undertaken in universities has to be transferred to the industry to promote real and sustained economic growth and social development.
Research, Community Service, Technology Transfer and University Industry LinkageDirector at Ministry of Science and Higher Education (MoSHE) Solomon Benor, told The Ethiopian Herald that, university-industry linkage plays vital importance for mutual benefit of both universities and industries. To this effect active involvement of both parties play major roles for better and sustainable university-industry linkage.
Based on the national science and technology Institute problem analysis and assessment of the characteristics of country selected as benchmarks for their best practices, eleven critical policy issues are identified. Among them, technology transfer, human resource development, manufacturing and service-providing enterprises, research, financing and incentive schemes, national quality infrastructure development, universities, research institutes, TVET institutions and industries linkage, intellectual property system, science and technology information, environmental development and protection, and international cooperation.
As to him from among eleven policy the primary focus of the ministry is university industry linkage apart from the issue of technology transfer which focuses on devising a system of learning, adapting and utilizing as well as disposing of imported technologies in order to meet national demand.
As to him the vision of the sector is to see Ethiopia entrench the capabilities which enable rapid learning, adaptation and utilization of effective foreign technologies and to become middle income country by the year 2022/23and the linkage of the two institutions plays significant role to reach the desired goal. Six areas are identified where industry and university can work together.
Among the areas in which the two institutions agreed to work together are conducting problem solving researches together, mutual technology transfer, advising assistance, capacity building, helping students to acquire practical knowledge before their graduation and inviting industry operators provide lecture to the students.
Solomon said in today’s global knowledge based economy, continuous research is important to integrate new technologies into products and services that are critical for the existence and competitiveness of enterprises. The ministry is conducting research on the challenges facing concerning the linkage of the two institutions.
Through developing new technologies, production process improvement, development of new products and utilization of technologies are what enterprises in the developed and emerging economies are doing; to be competitive in their respective field. These activities are normally performed by consorted effort of industries, universities and governments.
Tuning the effort should be well reinforced in public and private higher education. Building an economy which has a modern and productive agricultural sector with enhanced technology and an industrial sector that plays a leading role in the economy should incubated in the higher education.
Education Program Coordinator at IGAD Dr. Kebede Kassa told The Ethiopian Herald that, in our country, it is time to create a technology transfer framework that enables the building of national capabilities in technological learning, adaptation and utilization through searching, selecting and importing effective foreign technologies in manufacturing and service providing enterprises.
Such concerted effort helps to realize our country’s economic transformation which is based on technology. Universities and other research institutes have to avail new technologies for the industry, government has to avail financial and policy support for research and technology development activities. And industries have to seek new knowledge and invest to acquire technologies. They should also work on integrating new technologies into their products and services.
To create a technology transfer framework that enables the building of national capabilities in technological learning, adaptation and utilization through searching, selecting and importing effective foreign technologies in manufacturing and service providing enterprises.In addition it is important to strengthen linkages between value chains within and between industries.
The basic kind of technological transfer to industries is human embedded technology transfer, which refers to the engagement of labor in the industry with knowledge and technology acquired at the university, mainly through employment of the graduates of the different universities.
Universities and industries can cooperate and do research together on improving the product quality, production process, service quality and new product development for the company based on agreements. The research is performed by professionals from both the university and the industry. This channel is more focused and effective for technology transfer.
For instance Axum University is working with the regions in mineral sector, Addis Ababa University, Unity University and St Mary University are also working with industries to establish a technology business incubation center focusing on different sectors in their respective areas.
The linkage helps to strengthen University–Industry Linkage and expedite the economic reform of the country and linkage is instrumental to gain practical experiences and increase employment competitiveness. To such effect, higher education institutions and industries should bolster efforts to equip apprentices with the required knowledge and skills.
The Ethiopian Herald September 21, 2019
BY HAILE DEMEKE
