University and industry relations : a case study analysis of two marine science research institutes in the Philippines

Abstract

University-industry linkages in the Philippines have received more attention in the last few years. Centers of Excellence (CoEs) and Centers of Development (CoDs) have emerged. These are the selection of public and private institutions which have demonstrated the highest degree or level of standards along the areas of instruction, research and extension. The ministry of education in the country had in fact begun to encourage such relations by including in its CoEs criteria the capability of the institution concerned to engage in industry-academe linkages. In this light we have the three actors of the Triple Helix Model coming together – the university and industry, with government policies encouraging the interaction.

The two case studies in this research were selected as one of the CoEs and CoDs respectively. The analysis provided in this study attempts to highlight the role of the university in transferring knowledge to the industry. It also identified some factors that could limit or encourage the level/degree of the interaction. While this study sheds light only on the activities within the two case study institutions and not on the industry activities, the role of the government is still very much visible, and overall seen in its funding role. The study reveals that in the Philippines, bilateral relationships are more common, university-government, and also, university-industry, but only to a very small degree. Institutions in the Philippines such as our two case studies (and, especially the much smaller institute) have yet to make use of the role of the industry may it be as an alternative source of funding, or in terms of applied knowledge returns to the university.