Partnering Universities and Companies in Russia: Effects of New Government Initiative

Abstract

The paper presents the results of 2-year survey conducted in 2011-2012 among Russian universities and companies who jointly implement R&D projects aimed at development of high-tech manufacturing. The joint projects represent a new government instrument to stimulate the development of linkages between universities and companies by giving matching grants for R&D to companies with obligation to order R&D to a university partner.

The objectives of the survey included analysis of motivation for cooperation both from side of universities and companies; primary effects and side-effects of such initiative; changes that may be introduced to the government regulations concerning matching grants.

Total 38 teams were surveyed. Our findings show that major motivations from side of universities were access to new practical research tasks from companies, selection of most competitive teams of researchers capable to work with companies, and strengthening reputation in business environment. Companies were interested in getting government funding in order to solve their technological problems; to strengthen, due cooperation with universities, their research capacity, and to use modern research infrastructure located at universities.

The analysis allowed identification of the major effects of the matching grants mechanism. They included: strengthening of university orientation towards solving practical tasks which are of interest to business; institutionalization of relations between universities and business in the sphere of innovation activity; broadening of research cooperation and the formation of research consortiums; harmonization of research and educational tasks in universities, and orientation of the parties towards continuing cooperation in the innovation sphere.

Keywords: STI policy evaluation, public R&D subsidies, matching grants, university-industry linkages, behavioral additionality, innovations

JEL Classification: D22, H25, I23, O31