The technological advances that benefit society are mostly the result of research conducted by industry or academia. Due to the recent efforts to cut research funding for universities, many have become interested in the impact of academic research on technological advances and the potential consequences of reducing research funding.
In April 2017, the Institute of Education of the University College London hosted Professor Steven Brint of the University of California, Riverside. Professor Brint gave a presentation on the research output of the leading universities in the US and the impact of academic research on the top 50 technological developments that occurred between 1955 and 2005. The audio and slides of Professor Brint’s seminar are available on the website of the Centre for Global Higher Education.
During his seminar, Professor Brint pointed out that among these top 50 inventions, academic researchers were directly involved in 40% of cases and 60% of cases relied on public research funding. Interestingly, rather than competing for funding and human resources, Professor Brint noted that universities and industry are partnering to create research centers that can help researchers turn important findings into products or services that can be introduced to the market.
As governments continue to eye research funding as an easy target for cuts, it is important to learn from researchers like Professor Brint the direct impact that publicly funded research can have on our daily lives.
Click here for the Japanese version.