Students matter: the role of doctoral students in university–industry collaborations

ABSTRACT

Universities are the main knowledge-producing institutions, combining learning and research activities. Companies, in turn, play a role in the application of knowledge. In between, we find university–industry collaborations assuming various forms and stretching across different areas. One of the areas in which this cooperation takes place is doctoral education. The aim of this article is to discuss the role played by doctoral students, through their research, in the enhancement of university–industry collaborations, as they can be a vehicle of connection between academia and companies, but also because they can positively influence knowledge transfer and knowledge sharing. The discussion is framed by public policy initiatives formally promoting relationships between universities and companies in Portugal. We analyse the factors that contribute to make doctoral students important actors in creating and strengthening the cooperation between universities and companies and assess how their role varies between the scientific and economic environments. Our analysis is based on a survey conducted with doctoral programme directors in Portugal during the 2016/2017 academic year. From the main findings of the research, we highlight that doctoral students’ research is a central element in university–industry collaboration, including in knowledge transfer, and that the more diverse the role of universities and companies, the more heterogeneous and important is the role of doctoral students.

KEYWORDS:

• Doctoral students
• university–industry collaborations
• doctoral programmes
• public policy
• knowledge transfer

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) [grant number SFRH/BD/102400/2014].

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Eighteen variables were used to represent the roles of: the university (six variables); companies (seven variables); and doctoral students (five variables). Role of the university: provider of funding products and productive processes; supplier of facilities and equipment, specialised know-how, human resources, and research. Role of the company: provider of research, human resources, funding, facilities and equipment, doctoral work opportunities for PhD holders, specialised know-how and a context for developing doctoral projects. Role of doctoral students: channel for access to university research funding; strengthening the link between faculty, university and companies; liaison between faculty, university and companies; knowledge production; knowledge transfer.

2 A new variable was created from the role played by the doctoral students. Since the answers concerning this role vary very little between cases, indicating a consensus about the roles assumed by these actors, the variable stems from the sum of the items corresponding to the answers to the five statements on the role of doctoral students. The index for the role of students varies between 1 and 5.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) [grant number SFRH/BD/102400/2014].