Abstract: We present the results of a survey of Irish higher education staff, the aim of which was to ascertain a broad picture of the nature and extent of their engagement with various stakeholders. Contrary to the stereotype of academics living in ‘ivory towers’ and not being engaged with ‘the real world’ the evidence here is quite different. A broad level of engagement is evident across four main realms – commercialisation, engagement with persons, with communities and in problem solving situations. 33% responded that they saw their research mainly having relevance for non-commercial external bodies, with 22% seeing it mainly as having commercial research. Direct engagement in commercial activity is limited with 8% having taken out a patent or formed a consultancy … (more)
Zhang, Qiantao and Larkin, Charles James and Lucey, Brian M, The Connected University: Ireland’s Higher Education Institutions and Their Knowledge Exchange Activities (October 9, 2015).