Analysis of the interface systems as mediating agents in university/industry relations : proposal of the “relationship promoter” as a strategic role in the R&D transference

Abstract

A regional, national or international innovation system’s capacity to be innovative requires a commitment to collaborate between universities and industry. To facilitate this commitment, public institutions have championed the creation of interface organisations to be responsible for developing a network of university/industry partnerships. What has scarcely been acknowledged, however, is the role that professionals within these organisations should play to ensure that relationships are as productive as possible. To address this shortfall, an analysis has been proposed, which, based on the findings of a panel of international experts in innovation transfer, identifies the professional profile of the “relationship promoter” as a catalyst for university/industry relations at transregional and transnational level, and examines the strengths and weaknesses of university/industry exchange, from this approach. Finally, and based on the above analysis, the design of a strategic framework has been proposed to facilitate the commitment to collaborate between the various actors in the innovation system. This examination has enabled us to consider the value of the “relationship promoter” in the strategic analysis of the innovation system, and their role in facilitating the commitment to collaborate between actors within the system, from a dynamic perspective.