Commercialization of Scholarship in Australian Universities

Abstract

In their search for greater financial independence, Australian universities are encouraging academics to commercialize the application of their knowledge and research skills. While these commercialized scholarship (COS) activitiesgeneratesignificant directfinancial returns, they also impact indirectly upon the mainstream activities of university life. There has been little research into these indirect effects on university teaching, research and service. This article reports a survey of academic and administrative staff of two Australian universities which compared direct-and indirect costs and benefits ofacademics' COS activities. A novel evaluation technique was employed to assess the extent to which interviewed staff believed that the indirect benefits of cos (such as closer relations with external bodies, prestige andspin-offeffects on teaching and research) werein aggregate more significant than the direct financial effects. The technique was also used to assess indirect costs of COS, such as time lost to basic research, and the time and other university facilities consumed for which there is incomplete reimbursement. An aggregation of these indirect and direct benefits and costs suggested that COS projects could be more favourable to universities than a narrow financial analysis would suggest.

University‐Industry Research Partnerships in Australia: Extent, benefits and risks

“…Wood (1992), for example identi ed issues involved in research commercialisation while Leslie and Harrold (1993) explored commercial efforts by universities and Liyanage and Mitchell (1992) considered aspects of research commercialisation. Slatyer (1994) and Tegart (1996) have argued strongly about the value of the CRC program while Turpin and Hill (1995) identi ed the emergence of an "uneasy cultural divide" between industry-funded academics and others.…”