Working Paper

27 de febrero de 2012

European Industrial Policy

RESEARCH, INNOVATION
AND UNIVERSITIES
Política Industrial Europea Europako Industri Politika
INVESTIGACIÓN, INNOVACIÓN IKERKUNTZA BERRIKUNTZA
Y UNIVERSIDAD ETA UNIBERTSITATEA

As a Working Paper, it does not reflect any institutional position or opinion neither of EKAI Center,
nor of its sponsors or supporting entities
EKAI Center seeks to do business with companies or governments covered in its reports. Readers should be aware
that we may have a conflict of interest that could affect the objectivity of this report. Investors should consider
this report as only a single factor in making their investment decision.
GARAIA INNOVATION CENTER, GOIRU 1,A MONDRAGON
TEL: 943250104 VITORIA-GASTEIZ 639641457
LEKEITIO 675701785 DURANGO 688819520
E-MAIL: info@ekaicenter.eu
facebook.com/ekaicenter scribd.com/EKAICenter
 European Industrial Policy
RESEARCH INNOVATION
AND UNIVERSITIES

1. The European Commission communication on 8. As a result of this lack of efficiency in our

industrial policy of October 2012 (COM (2012) 582
final), entitled a Stronger European Industry for
Growth and Economic Recovery, places special
emphasis on the need to facilitate investment in
new technologies and innovation.
2. We agree with all of the measures put forward in
this document, but feel it is important to take
account of the need to make progress on
identifying and dealing with one of the key reasons
for Europe's lack of technological development,
which is hardly mentioned in the document.
3. We are referring to basic or targeted basic
research and, more specifically, to public policies on
university research.
4. We are aware that this is an institutionally
complex issue, but believe that this complexity is
causing excessive delays in this issue being dealt
with decisively, both in the Member States and the
institutions of the European Union.
5. Although it is not often mentioned, we believe
that there is almost total agreement among public
authorities that one of the main reasons – perhaps
the most important reason – for Europe's lack of
technological development is that our university
system is not effective enough, primarily in terms of
research and innovation policies.
6. The degree of ineffectiveness varies greatly
among the different EU Member States, but it is a
widespread problem, at least across the EU-15.
7. However, serious problems are often those
which have not been dealt with fully using public
policies. Or perhaps these problems end up
becoming serious precisely because they are not
dealt with properly.
university system, vast resources geared towards
promoting research and innovation – and recorded
as R&D expenditure – are managed ineffectively.
9. Inefficiencies often occur as a result of the fact
that these resources are managed using
institutional structures without clearly defined
objectives which combine teaching and research
activities and where the dividing line between the
two is blurred.
In general, however, the problem of university
research is probably one of motivation and
incentives.
10. All too often, specialists and experts
responsible for research also teach, without a clear
dividing line between objectives, resources and
incentives.
In many cases, there is insufficient contact between
universities and businesses, or the contact does
exist but the research teams lack the motivation to
put a specific business project into practice, or the
level of motivation varies considerably depending
on the person and the team.
11. Businesses often ask independent research
centres to carry out basic or applied basic research
which, depending on the area of knowledge
involved, should in theory be carried out effectively
by university research teams.
12. Overall, we feel it is a question of institutional
problems and problems involving the correct
channeling of public resources.
13. In many European countries, universities
receive vast sums of public money to carry out
research which, in many cases, is not carried out at
all or, if it is, then it is carried out in a way that is
not systematic or not properly targeted.

As a Working Paper, it does not reflect any institutional position or opinion neither of EKAI Center,
nor of its sponsors or supporting entities
EKAI Center seeks to do business with companies or governments covered in its reports. Readers should be aware that we
may have a conflict of interest that could affect the objectivity of this report. Investors should consider this report as only a
single factor in making their investment decision.
GARAIA INNOVATION CENTER, GOIRU 1,A MONDRAGON
TEL: 943250104 VITORIA-GASTEIZ 639641457
LEKEITIO 675701785 DURANGO 688819520
E-MAIL: info@ekaicenter.eu
facebook.com/ekaicenter scribd.com/EKAICenter
 European Industrial Policy
RESEARCH INNOVATION
AND UNIVERSITIES

businesses, towards independent research centres

14. We feel that a large number of Member States
urgently need to promote structural reform of
university research or, optionally, of the public
money earmarked for basic or targeted basic
research. The European Union must take
responsibility for at least encouraging the debate,
examining alternative models, proposing best
practices, etc.
15. In our opinion, one of the basic principles to
take into account is to promote the relationship
between the recipient of public money for this type
of research and the productive, business or social
purpose of these funds.
16. Fundamentally, however, European universities
must prove themselves worthy of receiving public
money to carry out research on the basis of their
actual capacity to manage this money effectively,
and not as a result of their institutional status.
17. In this respect, reform of university research
also entails reform of the proper management of
public money for research and innovation. Whether
resources are channeled directly towards
or to universities should depend on the level of
effectiveness the different institutions are capable
of achieving in each case. Under no circumstances
should a beneficiary receive funds exclusively
because they have "university" status.
18. We believe that unless we deal with the
problem of university research, it is impossible to
deal seriously with the problem of basic or applied
basic research in the European Union and thus one
of the key aspects of our industrial policy.
While noting that this is a question of considerable
institutional, political and even ideological
complexity, we believe that we have to make
progress in this area as soon as possible. It goes
without saying that the steps to be taken in this
regard should be pursued with the necessary
caution and where possible without affecting non-
technical or non-technological areas of research
which, for social and political reasons, should in our
opinion probably follow very different criteria for
the purpose of public financing.

As a Working Paper, it does not reflect any institutional position or opinion neither of EKAI Center,
nor of its sponsors or supporting entities
EKAI Center seeks to do business with companies or governments covered in its reports. Readers should be aware that we
may have a conflict of interest that could affect the objectivity of this report. Investors should consider this report as only a
single factor in making their investment decision.
GARAIA INNOVATION CENTER, GOIRU 1,A MONDRAGON
TEL: 943250104 VITORIA-GASTEIZ 639641457
LEKEITIO 675701785 DURANGO 688819520
E-MAIL: info@ekaicenter.eu
facebook.com/ekaicenter scribd.com/EKAICenter