Innovation training course for non-academic staff
Supporting KIC's
Domain: Domain 1 – Fostering institutional engagement and change.
Action: Secure and maintain institutional engagement for the implementation of IVAP, including departments and other units of HEI(s) as well as the leadership of HEI(s)
The purpose of the training course is to increase the knowledge of the non-academic staff on the topics of innovation and entrepreneurship in the university context. The reason for developing a course for non-academic staff is that the majoirty of systems and structures in the university is handled by non-academics, and the increase of their knowledge in the field would help promoting and increasing innovation capabilities of the university.
The course was developed by Ard Innovation, the technology transfer office (TTO) of Norwegian University of Life Sciences. It is based on the methodology that the TTO is using in their day-to-day operations utilizing the same frameworks and creating one shared model for the whole university.
The training course consist of one full-day course with lectures, discussions in breakout sessions, and work on study cases. The lecture part of the course is focused on the legal framework and constrains universities usually operates within and reports phrasing and definitions useful to this purpose. Examples are definitions of innovation, commercialization, technology transfer office, immaterial property rights, and impact. In addition, we provided an overview of the actors in the ecosystem, showcasing how they contribute and which stage they are involved and active in. We suggest mapping the ecosystem prior to delivering the course, to be able to give updated information on who the participants can contact for further information or assistance. Through the study case participants are given the opportunity to test how to go from research results, towards a possible application of the results.
The breakout sessions involve reflections and discussions on how participants can utilize their skill set and positions to contribute for a better use of research in the society. As an examples, communication officers are involved in communication and dissemination of research and can also contribute to better communicate innovation, but they need to be aware of patenting processes to be able the provide useful advices. Similar to this, librarians and other administrative staff could use their skills to assist in searching patents and analyze the freedom to operate, and can support with legal researches in the agreements operations.
Following the lecture and reflections in the breakout session the participants utilize a canvas for assessing the impact of research. In the canvas they are required to address problems and their solutions, the complexity of the problem, how it can be solved immediately, assessing research results on what is innovative with the approach, and who is the target user and customer.
Participants receive then a research impact canvas and an overview of the innovation ecosystem which will help them assisting and preparing researchers in their first steps towards commercialization or knowledge transfer.
Context
Increasing innovation and entrepreneurial capacity in the HEI as a whole. By the whole organization being aware and trained we enable the HEI to deliver on the third mission more effectively.
Audiences
Administrative and technical staff at HEIs.
Key outcomes
A lot of innovation and entrepreneurship activities and training is targeted towards researchers and students as they are more often involved in inventions, scientific discoveries and problems external actors are facing, but they constantly need the support of their administrative and technical colleagues. We believe that if we want an innovative culture at HEIs, everyone needs to be involved.
During the training courses for non-academic staff, participants are provided with knowledge on the general processes of innovation within the context of the university, tools to assist researchers, and how to better use their skills for assisting them.
Key success factors / How to replicate / Sustainability mechanism
HEIs willing to replicate our experience should have an updated knowledge and mapping of their innovation ecosystem. In fact, participants have appreciated receiving a complete overview and being able to understand what the different actors are involved in, how they contribute to the ecosystem and whom are HEIs collaborating with.
Additionally, we recommend that the course does not mix academic and non-academic staff. Our experience was that the mix affected the discussions by focusing more on specific cases and experiences reported by the researchers, rather than how the non-academic staff can provide support. We would advise to either have the course only for non-academic staff, or strictly moderate the discussions to stay on the topic.
The course was given to staff at all the HEIs involved in the project. In case the training is given to HEIs from different countries, we recommend being aware of the regulation differences which could occur.