Title: Collaboration of universities with productive actors in an age of knowledge-based inequality

Authors: Rodrigo Arocena; Judith Sutz

Addresses: Faculty of Sciences, University of the Republic, Uruguay ' University Research Council, University of the Republic, Uruguay Montero 3006, ap. 503, Montrevideo, 11300, Uruguay

Abstract: Knowledge has become a strong cause of inequality. Consequently, the collaboration of universities with inclusive innovation and sustainable development needs to pay specific attention to actors that are weak in terms of knowledge. That poses problems that go beyond those seen in university-industry usual type of collaborations. Intermediary roles are needed. The paper discusses some of those problems and roles. They are exemplified by considering two Uruguayan cases, the Center of Industrial Extension mainly focused on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and the 'University-Society-Production Relationships' Program that connects academic research with a wide diversity of collective actors. Some conclusions stem from the combination of the general framework with the lessons of such experiences. For collaborating effectively with weak knowledge actors, universities need to build experimentally specific policy instruments and organise teams of mediators between academy and such actors that are endowed with specific cognitive and coordinating capabilities.

Keywords: universities; inclusive innovation; sustainable human development; weak knowledge actors; small and medium enterprises; SMEs; industrial extension; university-production-society relations.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIPM.2022.120988

International Journal of Intellectual Property Management, 2022 Vol.12 No.1, pp.88 - 108

Received: 30 Apr 2020
Accepted: 21 Nov 2020
Published online: 21 Feb 2022 *

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