Promoters of the Effective Transfer of University Knowledge and Technology in Developing Countries

Abstract

Universities have evolved to become key players in the social and economic development of their areas of influence, especially in countries with developed economies, adopting a third mission of interaction with their environment to complement their two traditional missions of education and research. This study delves into the concept of the third mission and proposes a model focused on promoting the Transfer of Knowledge and Technology (TCT) to society and the market for universities in developing countries, which are in the early stages of appropriation and development of the third mission. The model is based on the following components: (i) Leadership and Governance (LG), (ii) Organizational Capacity, People and Incentives (COPI), (iii) Institution and External Relations (IRE), (iv) Impact of Knowledge and Technology Transfer (ITCT), and (v) University-Industry Collaboration (CUI). This study was based on a review of the scientific literature and semi-structured interviews conducted in 2022 with 26 executives and research leaders from universities in southwestern Colombia, selected by convenience. Using ATLAS.ti version 24 software, five categories corresponding to the components of the model were analyzed, and semantic networks were generated with 21 codes and 1,019 citations. The results of the research and the validation of the model in a university that is the subject of this study show clear progress in the appropriation of the model.