The importance to economic development of improved university-industry engagement in research and professional education

The key to the strength of the U.S. economy has been industry's ability to capitalize on technological innovation. At American research universities, an inherent objective of Ph.D. programs in engineering is innovation related to new or existing technologies. Despite such an obvious mutuality of interest, industry has typically not looked to universities to fulfill its applied research needs. This paper examines some of the reasons behind this condition, including the continued emphasis some universities place on traditional Ph.D. programs that are geared to the preparation of students for faculty positions rather than entry into industrial careers. The economic downturn has forced industry to cut back on internal R&D expenditures, making it even more important to find ways of encouraging industry to partner with academe to help meet the continuing need for technological innovation. This paper focuses on some new developments in engineering doctoral education that meet this need while continuing to satisfy academic program requirements. The new approach calls for a systemic change that will couple the resources of research universities and industry in a cooperative effort to produce the technological innovation that supports the continued growth of the economy.