【明報專訊】THE UNIVERSITY GRANTS COMMITTEE (UGC) has released the latest Knowledge Transfer Annual Reports submitted by the eight universities it funds. The overall income generated from knowledge transfer activities reached $11.6 billion. Many universities also saw an increase in the number of patents filed and granted.
The development of innovation and technology (I&T) in Hong Kong needs a close collaboration between the government and the industrial, academic and research sectors, while the commercialisation of scientific research results plays an important part in enhancing the I&T ecosystem. The government should make greater efforts to support the eight universities in upgrading their research facilities and attracting more talent.
Apart from teaching and research, knowledge transfer is the "third mission" of the higher education sector. Unlike teaching, the main point of knowledge transfer is to apply the universities' research achievements and professional knowledge for the good of the community. The UGC has been providing earmarked grants to funded universities annually since 2009 to promote knowledge transfer.
According to the definition, the "knowledge" in "university knowledge transfer" is not limited to scientific technology, but also covers knowledge of different disciplines like arts, science and business. The account for related incomes is not limited to intellectual property, collaborative research or contract research, but also includes consultancy services and continuing professional development programmes. As Hong Kong has striven to develop I&T in recent years, the universities have also emphasised scientific research achievements and their commercial applications. Teaming up with the industrial sector to develop new products and technologies is undoubtedly a very important component of university knowledge transfer.
Overall, the income generated from knowledge transfer activities of the eight universities has been rising steadily. In the year 2021/22, the total knowledge transfer income was about $8.3 billion. The figure surpassed the $10 billion mark in 2022/23 to $10.3 billion, marking an increase of more than 20%. The latest figure in 2023/24 even soared further to $11.6 billion.
Of course, one should not only talk about the short-term monetary rewards for promoting knowledge transfer, but also keep sight of how the knowledge is being applied. The number of technological inventions and patents is one of the key indicators of knowledge transfer performance, and the latest annual reports show that a number of universities have made good progress in this respect.
In the Hong Kong I&T Development Blueprint published by the government more than two years ago, the top working direction was enhancing the I&T ecosystem and promoting "new industrialisation". Universities in Hong Kong have maintained a high scientific research standard, with many of them among the world's top 100 universities. However, the transformation and application of research output is still a relatively weak link. The establishment of an efficient cross-sector collaboration system for the government and the academic, industrial and research sectors can help compensate for this gap.
In order to upgrade and transform Hong Kong's economy, the development of the I&T industry must accelerate. Universities play an important part in fundamental scientific research and the transformation of research findings. They also play a pivotal role in building Hong Kong into an international hub for education. Even if facing the pressure to increase revenue and reduce expenditure, the government should not reduce its funding support to the universities.
明報社評 2025.01.23:樂見研究成果轉化 不應削減大學資助
大學教育資助委員會公布8間大學最新《知識轉移年報》,知識轉移收益合共達到116億元,多間大學在專利申請和獲批數字方面亦見進步。
香港創科發展,官產學研需緊密配合,推動科研成果商業化,是完善創科生態圈的重要一環。政府應加大力度,支持八大提升研究設施、凝聚更多人才。
知識轉移是高等教育在教學、研究之外的「第三使命」。不同於教書授課,知識轉移的重點,在於將大學的研究成果及專業知識用諸社會。自從2009年起,教資會每年都會為本地各間資助大學提供專門撥款,推動知識轉移。
根據定義,大學知識轉移所講的「知識」,並不限於科學技術,也包含文理商等不同領域的知識;計算相關收入項目,亦不限於知識產權、合作研究、合約研究,也包括顧問服務、持續專業發展課程等範疇。隨着近年香港銳意發展創科,大學方面也強調科研成果及商業化,與業界合作開發新產品新技術,無疑是目前大學知識轉移相當重要的一環。
整體而言,八大知識轉移收入節節向上。2021/22年度,本港八大的知識轉移總收入約為83億元,2022/23年度則為103億元,升幅逾兩成,突破百億元大關,2023/24年度最新金額更進一步攀升至116億元。
當然,推動知識轉移,不能只談短期金錢收益,更要看知識應用情况。技術發明及專利,是知識轉移其中一個重要指標,最新年報顯示,多間大學均有進步。
政府兩年多前發表《香港創新科技發展藍圖》,排在首位的工作方向,就是完善創科生態圈,推動香港新型工業化。本港大學科研水平高,多間大學躋身世界百大,然而研究成果轉化應用,仍是較為薄弱的一環,建立高效的官學產研跨界別合作機制,有助彌補這方面的不足。
香港經濟升級轉型,必須加快創科產業發展,大學在基礎科研及成果轉化方面肩負重任;香港要成為國際教育樞紐,大學的角色,更是舉足輕重。即使政府有開源節流壓力,也不應該減少對大學方面的支援。
/ Glossary生字 /
patent:an official right to be the only person to make, use or sell a product or an invention; a document that proves this
strive:to try very hard to achieve sth
pivotal:of great importance because other things depend on it
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