Promotion of University-Industry Mobility of Researchers ... · : iTAP 2535 – 2554 Basic Manufacturing standards e.g. GMP/HACCP/TFQS) Medium Improvement product and production process

Promotion of University-Industry Mobility of Researchers: A New Role of Thai Universities

Kitipong Promwong1, Siriporn Pittayasophon1, Nattaka Yokakul2 and Girma Zawdie3

Conference on 'Innovation Systems and the New role

of Universities'

5-6 November, 2011

Bristol, UK

1

1 National Science Technology and Innovation Policy Office (STI), Thailand. email: [email protected] and [email protected] 2 National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Thailand. email: [email protected] 3 The David Livingstone Centre for Sustainability, University of Strathclyde, Scotland. email: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]




Background and Research Problem

Emerging Trends in Industrial Sector’s R&D

Demand and Supply of High-Level R&D

Personnel

Promoting the Role of University Engaging in

Private Sector R&D trough Mobility of

Researchers

Conclusion

2

3

4

Real GDP Growth (annual per cent)

Cited in NESDB and the World Bank (2010) Report on “Industrial Change in the Bangkok Urban Region”

Thailand Economic Growth

2011: An Upper-Middle-Income Economy*

5

* Gross national income per capital between US$

3,976 to US$12,275 (using the Atlas method)

Thailand,

US$ 4,210

Source: The World Bank (2011)

Overcoming the “Middle Income Trap”

7

Source :

1. Main Science and Technology Indicators, June 2008

2. International Institute for Management Development (2008). World Competitiveness Yearbook 2008.

4. Young Ok-Ahn (2009). Building Korea with Science, Technology and Innovation.

3M Plus

5,000

GD

P/C

ap

ita

l

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

$ US

2,600

4,600

8,200

12,800 16,500

21,100

1,600

2010

2015

2020

3,100 2,000 0.23

1.0

2.0

4,210

Policy and Target

8

Thai Government recently adopted science

and technology (S&T) policy with targets to

improve the state of science, technology and

innovation competitiveness in the country.

Three main related indicators are expected to

more than double by 2016.

GERD/GDP: from 0.25% to 1.0%

R&D personnel (FTE)/10,000 citizens: from

6.7 to 15.0

Private sector share in GERD: from 45% to

70%

Challenge and Constraint

10

These targets pose a huge policy

challenge for Thailand, in terms of the

effort required to stimulate private sector

inputs.

Shortage of high-level researchers

available to work in the industry will be a

major constraint on industry R&D effort.

Promoting New Role of Universities

11

University sector in Thailand houses a

large pool of researchers.

This paper looks into ways that could

be adopted to promote a new role that

Thai universities can play in boosting the

R&D and innovation capabilities of

industry through mobility their large pool

of researchers.

12

13

1. Increasing Offshore R&D of Large TNCs

14

FDI, Net Flows (US$ Billion)


Thailand’s Position in the Global Value Chain (Stan Shih’s & Smiling Curve)

Hig

h V

alu

e-a

dd

ed

Hig

h V

alu

e-a

dded

Lower Value-added

High

Low R&D,

Design, Engineering

Assembling

Module Part

Production

Part Production

Development of prototype

Sales

After-sale service

Our own Products

& Brand/Innovation

Thailand has been manufacturing base of TNCs

for more than two decades. Source: Economic Restructuring: Industrial Sector, NESDB proposing to Economic Restructuring Committee

Manufacturing

Building Brand

16

17

Examples of TNCs Establishing R&D Centre in Thailand

18

2. Expansion of R&D investment of

Local Large Firms

20

Example s Local Large Firms Significantly

Expanding R&D Investment

3. Increasing Number of SMEs Performing R&D

: iTAP 2535 – 2554

Basic Manufacturing standards e.g.

GMP/HACCP/TFQS)

Medium Improvement product and

production process

High R&D and

innovation

2006 – 2011

(Mar.

(2,306 projects

19.4% 63.2% 17.4%

1992 – 2005

(716 projects 21.5% 70.5% 7.9%

Source: Industrial Technology Assistance Program, NSTDA

Level of Technological Assistance Provided to SMEs

21

22

4. Transition of Industrial Estates towards

S&T-Based Industrial Parks

Science City

Phuket Software Park

23

S&T Manpower: Current Situation

Skill-Intensive Technology-Intensive

R&D-Intensive

Labour-Intensive

Skilled workers

Highly-skilled workers Designers, engineers,scientists, researchers

24

Skilled Workers High-Level

Knowledge Personnel

Future: Knowledge-Based Competitiveness

(require high-level S&T personnel)

Skill-intensiv

e

Technology-

intensive

R&D and

innovation

intensi

Labor-intensive

Designers, engineers,scientists, researchers

Highly-skilled workers Skilled workers

26

Skilled Workers High-Level

Knowledge Personnel

Projected Demand of S&T

Manpower in Thailand

Source: 1. Thailand Development Research Institute

2. Science Technology and Innovation Policy Office

Level

Vocational

Bachelor

Master

Ph.D.

27

Local Capacity of High-Level

S&T Manpower Production (person/year)

2007 2016

20,000

10,000

Master Level

10,200

730

30,000

21,400

3,500

24,200

4,000

2011

Ph.D. Level

Demand

Supply

Demand

Demand Demand

Supply

28

Firms’ Demand for Collaboration with Universities

29

Share of firms seeking technical assistance or research

support from universities and research institutes


% o

f firm

s

Food Auto Electronics

30

Share of firms that indicated an increase in collaboration

with universities and research institutes in the past 5 years

% o

f firm

s

Food Auto Electronics


31

Firms receiving technical assistance from

universities or research institutes


Num

ber

of firm

s

Fo

od

Ele

ctr

on

ics

From survey samples of 45, 55

and 52 firms in food, auto and

electronics industry respectively

Auto

Thai 100% Thai & Foreign Foreign 100%

32

Percentage of firms having intense

cooperation in their innovation activities with

academic institutions

Collaboration 2001

(n=261)

R&D

Institutes/Universities

13.6%

Other Government

Agencies 13.7%

Note: Only innovative firms were observed.

Source: 1. National Science and Technology Development Agency (various years).Thailand’s R&D Directory in Private

Sector and 2. National Science Technology and Innovation Policy Office (2011).Thailand’s R&D Directory in

Private Sector 2009.

Collaboration 2003

(n=185)

2006-2008

(n=325)

Universities

18.9% 19.5%

R&D Institutes 21.1% 22.5%

33

34

University R&D Capacity

Item Value

R&D Expenditure

(million baht)

5,926

(33% of GERD)

R&D Personnel

(2007) (person)

36,639

(50% of total R&D

personnel)

S&T Lecturer

(2009) (person)

27,881

(55% of total lecturers) Source: 1. R&D – 1) National Research Council of Thailand (2009). National Survey on R&D Expenditure and Personnel of Thailand 2009 and 2) National Science Technology

and Innovation Policy Office (2011)Thailand’s R&D Directory in Private Sector 2009 2. S&T Lecturers – Office of the Higher Education Commission. Available Online:

http://www.info.mua.go.th/information. (May 2011).

35

http://www.info.mua.go.th/information

Barriers to university-industry collaboration (1)

36

Lack of policy support as reflected in, for

example:

o inflexible rules an regulations concerning

permission of a researcher to work in

industry e.g. regulation on sabbatical leave does not

encourage academic staff to work with the industry

o requirement of high teaching workload

o evaluation of faculties’ performance

remaining giving priority on academic KPI e.g.

publication rather than industrial innovation

o lack of mechanism to support mobility e.g.

financial support to universities as well as researchers


37

Rigidity of university’s internal process and

organisation culture, for example:

o teaching staff substitution

o issues related to IP

o academic VS business timeline/deadline

o language and communication with business

sector

o secrecy agreement


38

Faculties’s attitude and incentives, for

example:

o university is comfort zone

o afraid of business deadline

o obstacles related to logistics problems

o lack of financial incentives

o concern about academic career path and

promotion

40

41

Industry’s demand for

collaboration and social

pressure for the 3th

mission of university

sector

University executives and considerable number of faculties,

indeed, want to change in order to respond to this direction

But they feel difficult to dig up deep root

of the old paradigm and management

system

who can help, how? • national policy? • champions – institution, individual, change agent?

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Documents

Promotion of University-Industry Mobility of Researchers ... · : iTAP 2535 – 2554 Basic Manufacturing standards e.g. GMP/HACCP/TFQS) Medium Improvement product and production process