THE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER FUNCTION A CHALENGE FOR BULGARIAN

THE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER FUNCTION: A CHALENGE FOR BULGARIAN UNIVERSITIES Lilyana Pavlova, Ludmila Ivancheva Center for Science Studies and History of Science, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

The technology transfer – a definition: l An intermediary activity, related to organization and management of the selection, adapting, and transfer of products of applied research, new technologies, and applied scientific knowledge in general, from research institutions or universities to the business and industry enterprises.

The technology transfer could be performed by: l direct university-industry collaboration l operating with patents and licenses l creating spin-off companies

l The technology transfer is a significant component of the national innovation systems (in functional and structural aspect). l It needs to be strengthened by creating new TT institutions, concentrating resources and competences in order these activities to be improved and intensified.

According to some surveys, TT infrastructure of Bulgarian universities is poorly developed, although we indicate some progress in the last years. l Enhancing the process of institutionalization and extending the TT activities is of crucial importance. l At the same time it is a real challenge for our university system. l Abreast of the governmental support, more “bottom-up” initiatives should be put forward in this respect. l

In 2006, while 95, 8% of 25 inspected universities had research laboratories, only 29. 2% of them were equipped with some TT units or innovation offices. l Implementing the measures of the National Innovation strategy, during last two years an important structural transformation happened (in a lot of cases – with a financial assistance of PHARE Program – Bulgaria). l

They were built Centers for entrepreneurship or TT offices at: l Russe University “Angel Kanchev” l Technical University – Varna l Technical University of Gabrovo l Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” l South-West University of Blagoevgrad

They were built Centers for entrepreneurship or TT offices at: l Veliko Tarnovo University “Cyril and Metodij” l University of Forestry Engineering – Sofia l Technical University – Sofia, Plovdiv subsidiary l Nicola Vaptsarov Naval Academy – Varna l Burgas University “Prof. Dr. Asen Zlatarov” l Agricultural University – Plovdiv

Types of academia-industry/business collaboration (survey based on 25 universities and research institutions) Consultations 17% Training, seminars, conferences 13% Organization of student, doctoral, etc. research practices 11% Assisting the management of business processes 8% Studies of the effectiveness of technologies/ products/services 7% Creation of new technologies 6%

Results attained by academiaindustry/business collaboration Gaining new experience 20, 9% Making contacts with foreign organizations with similar activities 16, 1% Development of new research fields 15, 7% Initiating of new university subjects, postgraduate qualifications and courses 13, 4% Getting more information about the innovation needs of companies 12, 7% Getting actual economic information 11, 8% Receiving of additional funding 9, 3%

An example of a new built TTO: l Technology Transfer Office to Russe University “Angel Kanchev” The project is implemented with financial support of the European Union (PHARE 2005 Programme – Project BG 2005/017 -353. 10. 06). The total amount of the project grant is € 41 510. l The TTO is opened on April 17, 2008. l

Main activities and services: l Marketing investigations for finding new business partners among representatives of SME l Establishment of direct contacts with SME l Offering of innovative products ready for setting in production l Seminars, workshops l Evaluation of the needs of the companies concerning innovations

Main activities and services: l Identification of new business projects and research outcomes with commercial potential l Research and evaluation of the market potential l Building of stable connections between inventors and their partners l Creation and support of relevant databases

l Regarding their TT function, the universities can profit by more active collaboration with external institutions, specialized in providing of technology transfer services, such as GIS Foundation, European Innovation Center – Bulgaria, High-technology business incubators, etc.

Some appropriate activities of GIS Foundation: l Building of transfer centers on concrete research and technology problems and innovative competitive products l Identification of interesting results of applied research and assisting of their commercial realization

Some appropriate activities of GIS Foundation: l Consulting and expert assistance in the field of innovations and technology transfer l Investigations and analyses of the innovation needs of SME l Performing of international technology transfer

European Innovation Center – Bulgaria l It belongs to a network of 72 similar structures in Europe. EIC works as an intermediary in the transfer of technologies and innovation between Bulgarian institutions and companies and their possible partners from EU countries, as well as from Island, Israel, Norway and Switzerland.

Some appropriate activities of European Innovation Center – Bulgaria: Automatic Matching Tool: this means targeted electronic dissemination of offers and applications for modern technologies, and of information about forthcoming business activities (days for cooperation, industry fairs, conferences, meetings, etc. ) l Sector meetings for representatives of enterprises from same branches and experts from research institution and universities, where they discuss actual problems of TT l

High-technology business incubator – Varna l It aims at creating of a proper innovative environment for development of SME in the field of high technologies. l HTBI –Varna is an example of “best practice” in technology transfer and innovations.

It integrates the efforts of: l regional authorities l research sphere l NGOs l business representatives from the region.

SUMMURIESED FINDINGS For last two years we have indicated a process of gradually building up of the missing before “cells” of the national innovation system – TT offices, which are its most important intermediary component. l However, the creation of new innovation products and technologies is still underrated by Bulgarian scientific organizations and universities compared to activities as research and education. l The applied research projects, attained industry realization and commercialization, are a little part only. l But all academic institutions (and not only in Bulgaria) have nowadays an additional mission – to raise the competitiveness of the economy; therefore, the developing of the TT function becomes a significant challenge for the whole academic society. l

SUMMURIESED FINDINGS l l Most of the companies have not an advanced innovation policy and fixed plans for investments in knowledge and new technologies. On this stage, the main academic contacts with the business and industry are related to consulting and education. The universities use on a large scale modern information technologies, providing a wide range of dissemination of the information about their products. Well developed is the practice to present the new products and technologies at specialized markets and fairs – more than a half of the universities use this forms of presentations.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The effective functioning of today’s universities as an important elements of the national innovation system requires activation of the TT and commercialization of the research outcomes. l The technology transfer activities at the universities need to be institutionalized and to follow a flexible and adaptive towards the changing environment innovation strategy. l In this respect, a good idea is to be established two types of units: centers dealing with the industry property rights, and offices, engaged in the real TT activities. l The TT offices are the most important part of the intermediaries in the innovation process, and therefore they need special attention. l

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The efforts should be directed to identification of more potential users of research products, technologies and services, and to establishment of intensive long-term relations with them. l Participating in the existing and initiating of new innovation clusters and networks at national and international level could be very beneficial. l The TT function can be further developed, diversifying the forms of popularization of new products and technologies – “one step shops”, information campaigns, “open doors”, etc. l

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The entrepreneurial culture of the researchers and students should be raised by appropriate entrepreneurship training. l The spin-off companies are very perspective form of commercialization of knowledge and technologies, and their establishment must be stimulated. l On national (policy) level, efficient measures must be taken to provoke the SMEs to be more innovative and to look more actively for new research products and technologies. l

Thank you for your attention! pavlovalili@yahoo. com livancheva@yahoo. com