Universities in Danube. Cooperation. Two case projects of the Crossborder. Programme Italy-Slovenia

Transcription

1 Universities in Danube cooperation: Two case projects of the Crossborder Cooperation Programme Italy-Slovenia Sabina Passamonti, MD, PhD University of Trieste, Dept. of Life Sciences JRC Annual Event on the Scientific Support to the Danube Strategy October 2015 Maritim Hotel Ulm Basteistraße 40, Ulm, Germany 1

2 The Programme Area CBCP Italy-Slovenia

3 The Programme Area CBCP Italy-Slovenia and its position in the European macro-regional strategies Small area, at the intersection of 3 macro-regions: Danube Alpine Adriatic and Ionian BUT Stock of closed projects useful for a super-macro-region 3

4 Two attempts at matching research with innovation in Universities Transregional Network for Innovation and Technology Transfer to Improve Health Care Network For Technological Innovation In Aquaculture Priority task Competitiveness and knowledge based society Policy Lisbon Strategy Call 1/2008 strategic to (3.5 yrs) Extension: none Funding at start: Approved cost: (98%) Call 2/2009 standard to (3 yrs) Extension: none Funding at start: Approved cost: (92%) 4

5 Common project basic features Cross-border Networks Mix of partners (see next) Simultaneous implementation No time extension Lead Partner: Dept. of Life Sciences, University of Trieste Team manager: Sabina Passamonti 5

6 TRANS2CARE Partners details Trans2Care R&I balance 31% 69% academic non-academic 6

7 INNOV-H2O Partners details Innov-H2O R&I balance 50% 50% academic non-academic 7

8 Trans2Care as good practice Invitations to present Trans2Care case 13 months after the end of operations 2 days (n) 1 0 Research Organisation European Commission Danube S3 Workshop: Gathering opportunities around RIS3 priorities Vienna Interreg Annual Meeting 2015, Luxembourg DG Regio Road Show 2015, Gorizia (Italy) JRC Annual Event on the Scientific Support to the Danube Strategy, Ulm (Germany)

9 Innov-H2O is also a good practice, but less evident Managing 2 R&I projects at the same time is a huge task The dissemination activities are very demanding Finding a committed team manager is also difficult (see slide 21) Universities are understaffed (see also: 9

10 COMMON STRATEGY for Technology Transfer & Innovation (TTI) TRAINING of post-doc researchers in technology transfer and business. MEETING/AUDITING SMEs. Introducing TECHNOLOGY READINESS LEVELS scale to classify research results. 10

11 Similar training in TTI Trans2Care courses 1. Team building 2. Patent search, analysis and business 3. Scientific communication: opportunities and risks 4. Innovation and Technological transfer 5. Best practices for managing IP in early stage startups 6. Understanding, protecting and monetizing your intellectual property 7. New product development according to ISO9000: Guided tour to Cluster for Biomedicine (CBM), ELETTRA Synchrotron and FERMI facilities 9. Fundamental of economics 10. How to get the most from a technological audit 11. Training Session TECH AUDITS INSIDE T2C 12. Project Management 13. Communication and branding 14. Job Placement and Labour market 15. Ecosystems for innovation 16. Technology Readiness Levels Evaluation Innov-H2O courses 1. Innovation and Technological transfer. 2. Fundamental of Economics 3. Project Management. 4. European Projects 5. Business Planning 6. Forum sessions (n=6) Note on this project: 1. It was shorter than Trans2Care. 2. Its approach to SMEs was different than Trans2care 3. The post-doc researchers had the Forum activities. 11

12 Similar approach with industries Trans2Care biotech SMEs 54 Technology audits Specific training for researchers (3 days) given by non-academic Project Partner n.5 (TTI expert) Each researcher did 3-7 visits (one-to-one) 14 Focus meetings (one-toone or all project staff with a number of SMEs) Traditional approach r2b, workshops Innov-H2O fish farmers 23 Fish farming SMEs 6 open workshops for the fish farmers 13 Thematic groups Professional participatory approach given by nonacademic Project Partner n.4 (TTI expert) 12

13 Technology Readiness Levels analysis of research results Trans2Care Capitalisation Conference 6 Cross-border Italy-Slovenia biomedical projects 44 beneficiaries, 8.5 MLN Innov-H2O Only internal assessment No possibility to do capitalisation events, being: the single aquaculture project in CBCP Italy-Slovenia no aquaculture project in Mediterranean sea basin funded by cross-border cooperation programmes in (see: Interact thematic study, page 32. Web: me_cooperation/601/18618) 13

14 FIGURES of attraction n of registrations The growing curve of registrations: up to 181 on the day of the Conference 14 Progetti finanziati nell ambito del Programma per la Cooperazione Transfrontaliera Italia-Slovenia , dal Fondo europeo di sviluppo regionale e dai fondi nazionali. Projekti sofinancirani v okviru Programa čezmejnega sodelovanja Slovenija-Italija iz sredstev Evropskega sklada za regionalni razvoj in nacionalnih sredstev.

15 FIGURES of attraction not just a local event The geographical origin of the participants 15 Progetti finanziati nell ambito del Programma per la Cooperazione Transfrontaliera Italia-Slovenia , dal Fondo europeo di sviluppo regionale e dai fondi nazionali. Projekti sofinancirani v okviru Programa čezmejnega sodelovanja Slovenija-Italija iz sredstev Evropskega sklada za regionalni razvoj in nacionalnih sredstev.

16 TRL analysis of 65 posters displaying biomedical research results N.poster s OUTCOME N/A TRL What are the results of this investment? EARLY STAGE RESEARCH-TRL 1-3 Will new scientific knowledge produce any technological innovation? UNPREDICTABLE Are these researchers ready to successfully compete in Horizon 2020 calls? NOT YET 16

17 TRL analysis of 5 new products + 1 service developed in Innov-H2O New products New vaccine against forunculosis of trouts TRL 8 New vaccine against RTFS of trouts TRL 5 Optimisation of vaccine against RTFS of trouts TRL 4 New anti-infective agent to preserve fish eggs TRL 3 New method to selectively destroy antibiotic residuals in fish plants TRL 6 New services Water quality analysis in 15 plants TRL 9 Ammonia, nitrite and nitrate never exceeded the safety threshold Oxygen was below normal level risk of lower productivity, lower income. 17

18 Research2Business - Q&A It depended on the academic/nonacademic balance Trans2Care Did we find SMEs partners to apply our research results? NO Did we find SMEs partners to apply for future projects? YES Did we find SMEs partners to place our researchers? NO Shall we continue our interactions with SMEs? Definitely YES Did SMEs like meeting research? Definitely YES Innov-H2O Did we find SMEs partners to apply our research results? YES Did we find SMEs partners to apply for future projects? YES Did we find SMEs partners to place our researchers? NO Shall we continue our interactions with SMEs? Definitely YES Did SMEs like meeting research? Definitely YES 18

19 Lesson learned: Universities as poor performers in Thematic Objective 1 of Cohesion Policy Research&Innovation Research without Innovation? Graduate, post-graduate and PhD students receive very little if any TTI fundamentals. Teaching staff has poor or no grip on fundamentals of TTI. No elastic interaction schemes with SMEs. joint development of research, joint mentoring, joint publication, joint grant applications No knowledge about Technology Readiness Levels, or similar organising tool to guide research towards applications. Absence of research management in most/all academic Partners. THIS SITUATION SHOULD BE FIXED AT THE TOP LEVEL OF GOVERNANCE, ALIGNING ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS WITH T.O. 1 - R&I 19

20 Another lesson learned-the other side of the coin: Universities as a gold mine for Thematic Objective 11 of Cohesion Policy efficiency of Public Administration An academic Lead Partner has internal multidisciplinary knowldge and can provide consultancy for project management and territorial cooperation in general, for free. There is a spill-over of administrative knowledge to smaller, non-academic partners (e.g. SMEs, associations, etc.). Non academic Partners have access to adminstrative and professional guidance (if not assistance). In principle, an academic partner has strong institutional links with the public authorities (given the standard size of universities in a region--they are often the main economic body). this is automatically transfered to non-academic partners 20

21 Critical points to address (seen from the University standpoint) SMEs or Tech Transfer companies in the partnership must be technically and scientifically coherent with the goals of the project (besides having Tech Transfer business) Consultants/external advisors/technical assistance very useful if properly chosen MUST NOT REPLACE THE COORDINATOR Academic partners too much involved in basic research and academic targets too little involved in territorial cooperation (no interest/time to interact with project stakeholders) RISK OF PROJECT WRECKAGE 21

22 OCCUPATIONAL STATUS OF RESEARCHERS 1 year after the end of both projects Trans2Care aftermath 100 % employed in R&D 50% permanent 50% non-permanent Innov-H2O aftermath 100 % employed in R&D 100% non-permanent What worked well for both projects A new mix of skills R&D management/administration TTI (early stage) 22

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24 Thank you for your attention Sabina Passamonti, MD, PhD University of Trieste