printUniversity- Industry Research Collaboration:
Faculty Perspectives
Dezhina I.G.
Dr. Sci. (Econ.), Leading Researcher, Gaidar Institute of Economic Policy, Moscow, Leading Researcher, National Research University Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russia degina@iep.ru
The research was supported by RSF No. 23-18-00048, https://rscf.ru/en/project/23-18-00048/.
Dezhina I.G. University- Industry Research Collaboration: Faculty Perspectives. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya [Sociological Studies]. 2025. No 5. P. 139-149
The article draws upon the findings of in-depth interviews with faculty from four Russian universities to offer a comprehensive examination of scientific cooperation with companies and its evolution from the late Soviet period to the present day. Scientific cooperation encompasses knowledge creation and its transfer. The generation of knowledge occurs through two primary mechanisms: joint research and contract research. The transfer of knowledge encompasses the commercialization of R&D results, such as consulting or sale and licensing of patents. Research indicates a preference among universities for engagement in knowledge creation. Our study delved more profoundly into the intricacies of the knowledge creation process. We explore the intensity of research collaboration, its initiators, and the motivations of the parties involved. The findings of the study indicate that these parameters have undergone significant transformations in comparison to the Soviet period. Historically, collaboration was driven by the flow of state funds and a well-established scheme of interactions. Universities often initiated cooperation, and faculty primarily sought additional income. In contrast, contemporary practices are marked by the predominance of single contracts initiated by companies. However, a notable exception emerges in the context of resource- based companies, where scientific collaboration with universities is characterized by its enduring nature. A salient development is the broadening of the range of motives for collaboration. They include not only the pursuit of supplementary funding but also the acquisition of novel knowledge and scientific ideas.
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