Existence of and benefits from linkages

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADVANCED RESEARCH
International Journal of Advanced Research in Management (IJARM), ISSN 0976 –
6324 (Print), ISSN 0976 – 6332MANAGEMENT Issue 2, July-December (2012)
IN (Online), Volume 3, (IJARM)
ISSN 0976 - 6324 (Print)
ISSN 0976 - 6332 (Online)
Volume 3, Issue 2, July-December (2012), pp. 50-62
IJARM
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EXISTENCE OF AND BENEFITS FROM LINKAGES BETWEEN
UNIVERSITY AND INDUSTRY IN ETHIOPIA

A.S. KANNAN
Assistant Professor in Finance and Accounting
College of Business and Economics
Dilla University
Email: ProfessorKannan@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Set with the objectives of assessing current status of partnership between higher education
and industry, and identifying the nature and extent of linkages, the benefits accruing out of
such alliances, this research was carried out by conducting a survey and interviews among the
randomly selected respondents from both entities. The study was confined to Dilla, the zonal
capital of Gedeo in SNNPR State in Ethiopia. 53 institutional responses and 60 industry
responses were found to be in order. Following were the major findings from this study: (i)
linkages in the areas of “employment support”, “academic and research support”, and
“business relationship” existed; (ii) both would benefit from such linkages; (iii) major
benefits accruing to higher institutions were the ability to produce industry-fit candidates,
feasibility to research and solve real-life business problems, and ability to enhance manpower
quality and employability; and (iv) major benefits accruing to industry were increase in
productivity and service quality, technological innovations leading to improved performance,
and reduction in training costs. Recommendations included (a) technical sessions with
industry experts; (b) data bank on available practitioners; (c) encouragement to take up real
issues for research; (d) setting up Industry-Institute-Partnership-Cells; (e) industry coming
forward to sponsor; (f) liberal contribution of funds and data for research; (g) tax exemptions
to research fund contributions; and (h) Education Ministry assigning weights in affiliation
processes to alliances forged.

KEY WORDS
Industry-Institute Partnerships, Ethiopia, University Linkage with Industries, Benefits of
Linkages.

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6324 (Print), ISSN 0976 – 6332 (Online), Volume 3, Issue 2, July-December (2012)

BRIEF INTRODUCTION

Academic institutions are the temples of learning. Teaching staff in higher institutions
usually carry out their tasks in a three dimensional fashion – teaching, research and
consultancy. In addition to their major commitment towards teaching learning process,
academicians are entrusted with certain allied tasks such as curriculum designing, course
development, counseling and guidance, mentoring, advising, and so on. In a technical sense,
they parent the students in their entire campus life, and direct them to the path of success and
glory.
Industries engage themselves in producing goods and services in order to satisfy varying
consumer needs. There are manufacturers, retailers, and service firms. Manufacturers
undertake the production process, by bringing together the raw materials and skilled labor,
and turn them into finished products ready for consumption. Retailers buy those finished
goods on a wholesale basis and take them to the doorsteps of the ultimate consumers.
Service organizations take care of auxiliaries to trade, such as banking, insurance,
transportation, warehousing and distribution services. The service firms facilitate
comfortable and convenient performance of trading and manufacturing activities – without
which what is generally pursued as a routine and simple task may prove to be most
cumbersome and risky.
Though these two entities seem to travel on their destined paths without crossing each
other’s, one may understand that there is a practical need for cooperation and coordination
among them. Time and again, academic institutions do require various kinds of products
produced and services rendered by the industries. Similarly, industries depend on higher
institutions for the supply of skilled manpower, providing training to them, and upgrading
their skills through various forums and workshops.

THE PROBLEM STUDIED

The cooperation between higher institutions and industry is highly significant from view
point of the society. Both entities work towards the ultimate common goal, viz., community
welfare. By providing quality education, the higher institutions make their products highly
employable, thereby enabling them to earn their living satisfactorily. This process will
ultimately result into enhancements in standards of living and thus lead to community
welfare. Industries provide quality goods and services for social consumption, thus making
their way of living better and comfortable – thus leading to community welfare.
In a relay race, the success of the team depends on the optimal performance of every player in
the relay. Similarly the betterment of the society depends on the cooperation between two
major players – the higher institutions and industry. Though one can assume that they are
expected to work in coordination, the reality is not exactly so. For various reasons the degree
of cooperation varies from society to society. Empirical evidence proves where the
partnership between higher education and industry is at its height, multiple benefits flow to
the players as well to the society. Ethiopia, being a democratic federal republic of recent
times, has to work its way to forge these kinds of alliances in order to reap benefits to their
fullest measure. The aim of this paper is to assess the partnership between higher education
and industry in the current scenario, and to elicit and analyze the opinions of players in the
respective entities. This paper tries to address the following research issues:
• What are the different types of linkages that exist between higher education and industry?
• Have these linkages been in existence for long, or are they of recent origin?
• Are they of considerable magnitude or on a tiny scale?
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• Who – between the two entities, higher education and industry – are considered greater
beneficiaries of these linkages?
• What are the potential benefits of such linkages to higher education and to industry?
Which among them are considered most significant ones?
• What role should other bodies and higher authorities need to play in the whole scenario?

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The major objective of the study is to assess the current status of partnership between higher
education and industry in Ethiopian context.
The specific objectives are:
• To identify the nature and level of linkages that exist between higher education and
industry
• To assess the benefits accruing to higher institutions and to industry from such
linkages
• To forward appropriate suggestions to key stakeholders of the issue

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study was confined to Dilla – a major city in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and
Peoples Region State of Ethiopia, and the zonal capital of Gedeo. Though physically
confined to Dilla, this study did take into account the respondents from various parts of the
country currently employed in higher institutions and industries in and around the city.

Significance of the study
Considering the fact that not many studies of this issue were carried out so far in Ethiopia,
this study is considered to be significant. Moreover this study would be useful in bringing
about the much needed awareness about the existence of and potential benefits in forging
strategic alliances between higher education and industry. Further the recommendations
forwarded by this study are highly contextual and feasible as well as result-oriented. Finally,
the study would be useful not only in teaching institutions as a reference material but also to
trigger further research on various related issues.

METHODOLOGY

This section deals with the methodology adopted in carrying out this research and includes
the research population, sampling applied and sample size, data collection methods, and data
analysis methods.

Research Population
Research population of this study comprises two entities, viz., the higher institutions
operating in Dilla and industries established or operational in Dilla. In respect of higher
institutions, population includes (i) Teachers with a minimum qualification of a masters
degree; (ii) officials of the institutions such as presidents, directors, heads, and coordinators;
and (iii) administrative staff with a minimum qualification of a first degree. As to industries,
population includes employees at various levels of management (viz., top, middle and junior)
of financial institutions, major industries, and commercial organizations with a high turnover.

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Those commercial establishments who employ less than 10 persons were not included in the
research population.
Sampling and sample size
Research population as described above is estimated to be around 600 for higher institutions
and around 300 for industries in the study area. The sample size is determined at 10 per cent
of the population. Stratified random sampling is adopted. Samples are drawn from different
strata of the population, such as teachers in higher institutions, officials of higher institutions,
administrative staff of institutions, employees of financial institutions, and employees in
various business enterprises.

Data Collection Methods

This being an empirical study, most of the data pertaining to this study is of primary nature.
Primary data from respondents were collected mainly through a survey questionnaire. A
short questionnaire was developed for this purpose, which consisted of four parts – first part
studying the profile of the respondents, second analyzing the existence of industry-institute
interface, third identifying the benefits and opportunities of such alliances, and the fourth
enumerating the challenges involved and measures to overcome those challenges. In order to
facilitate comfortable data collection as well as detailed information gathering, questions
were designed with a combination of close-ended and open questions. 150 questionnaire
were distributed (75 to each entity involved) in all. Out of these, 56 questionnaires from
higher institutions, and 64 questionnaires from industry were returned within the time limit
set for data collection. Upon final scrutiny, 53 of the institution-responses and 60 of
industry-responses were found to be in order and were taken up for analysis. Interviews were
conducted with a cross section of respondents from both entities to identify the expectations
of industry and higher institutions from each other.

Data Analysis Methods
A detailed codification scheme was evolved, and data found on the questionnaire duly
returned were codified according to the scheme. The coded data were fed on worksheets and
various tools of descriptive statistics including weighted average and chi-square test have
been applied.
Operational Definitions
University: For the purpose of this research, ‘university’ refers to the institutions
which impart higher education in Ethiopia. This term includes Public and Private
Universities, and University Colleges – who are involved in dissemination of knowledge
in various disciplines. Furthermore, the words ‘higher institutions’, ‘higher education’,
‘Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs)’, ‘Institutes’, ‘academics’, ‘academicians’ have
been used as synonymous to each other and taken to mean ‘institutions imparting higher
learning, that is diploma and higher level programs’.
Industry: For the purpose of this research work, ‘industry’ means various business
enterprises, organizations and institutions which carry out transactions with or provide
services to its customers.
Linkage: Throughout this research paper, the words ‘convergence’, ‘interface’,
‘interactions’, ‘partnership’, ‘alliance’, ‘cooperation’, ‘linkage’ and ‘strategic relations’
have been used as synonymous and taken to mean the ‘coordination’ between higher
institutions and industry.

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BRIEF REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Way back in 1972 in one of six sessions of the Annual College-Industry Conference, entitled
“Academic Industrial Interface”, hosted at University of Houston, emphases were placed on
various aspects including: specified curriculum developments, educational program
designing, effective educational organizations, design course contents, engineering
educators profiles, and internship in industry.
Carayannis and Alexander (1999) observed that there has been increasing consensus among
academic scholars, policy makers, and industry practitioners alike that the present and future
secret of business survival and prosperity lies in strategic partnering and co-opeting
successfully through government, university, industry and R&D partnerships.
Speaking of Korean evidence in technology transfers through University-Industry
Networking, Ji Soo Kim (2002) stated that in Korea, industry got direct or indirect help by
utilizing the well trained, experienced people from the universities or research organizations
without looking for appropriate foreign technical consultants.
In the view of Santoro and Betts (2002), University research centers have proven to be
beneficial partners for industrial firms seeking new ideas and new technologies. An
empowered Industry-University champion at the firm can be especially effective in
facilitating this process, particularly when he or she focuses on each organization’s unique
contributions and the possibilities they afford for complementary synergies.
In their paper which focused on current status of software engineering education in India and
suggestions for improvement so as to best suit the software industry’s needs, Mahanti and
Mahanti (2005) highlighted that institute-industry interaction should be encouraged; and
visiting faculty from the industry should give lectures on emerging technologies currently
used in industries to keep the students abreast of the latest developments in industry.
According to Gulbrandsen and Nerdrum (2007), the data show that the 1980s were a turning
point with a strong increase in formal research collaboration between firms and higher
education institutions (HEIs), not only in Norway but across the OECD area. This could be
due to increasing knowledge needs in industry, but probably also due to changed academic
cultures.
According to Edward (2008), many countries are seeking to strengthen global economic
competitiveness by building a ‘knowledge economy’ capability. A popular approach is
supporting university–industry knowledge exchange linkages. The researcher described that
the broader relevance of this approach for other institutions and countries, and suggests it is
something other university- government- and industry-based research institutions could
embark upon.
Apoorva Bharadwaj and Sahay (2010) made an attempt to present a symbiotic model of
functioning for industry-academia partnerships, identifying the factors that render the
partnership programs dysfunctional and addressing them to explore how the collaboration can
become a mutually rewarding experience for the partnering entities in the context of
management education.
Sharma & Sharma (2012) observed that as the field of MBA is practice-oriented, teaching
only theory will not serve the purpose, and to bridge the gap between theory and practice,
strong measures should be taken. People from industries should be invited to widen the
academic spectrum of management students. This will not only enable students to learn
pragmatism but will also train them to meet the contemporary requirements of business

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world. The close collaboration of businesses and B-schools will provide enormous value to
both.

Evidence of Linkage in the African / Ethiopian context
Industry’s satisfaction with the interactions was derived from the impressive technical ability
of the research institutes. The industrialists considered the interactive processes a success
when the institutes undertook projects with a higher degree of technical sophistication than
was available in the industry. (Technology Policy and Practice in Africa: IDRC Archive)
One of the recent evidence in Ethiopian context available on industry-institute alliance is the
case of collaboration between Jimma University and JHPIEGO. The official website of the
University reported that Jhpiego has handed over HIV/AIDS related e-learning courses to
College of Public health and Medical Sciences at Jimma University, in February 1, 2012. The
e-learning courses were developed with PEPFAR funding provided through CDC. The
courses include Basics of HIV, Provider Initiated HIV Testing and Counseling (PITC),
Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT), Anti-Retroviral Therapy
(ART), Infection Prevention (IP) and TB/HIV.

DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATIONS

A short survey was conducted to assess the partnership between higher education and
industry. The questions were mostly objective, but contained a few open questions to enable
the participants to give their piece of mind. In all 124 participants took part in the survey, out
of which 113 were found to be in order: 53 were from Institutions and 60 were from Industry.
The following paragraphs present the summary of the data obtained in a brief manner:
Part-I: Profile of the Participants
Out of 75 questionnaire distributed to a cross section of teaching and administrative staff
(involving top, middle and junior management levels) of higher educational institutions, 56
were returned by the time the data were compiled, and finally 53 of them were found to be in
order and considered for analysis. Out of 75 questionnaire distributed to a cross section of
employees of industries (including financial institutions such as banks, insurance companies,
and microfinance institutions) involving top, middle and junior management levels, 64 were
returned by the time the data were compiled, and finally 60 were found to be in order and
considered for analysis.
Organization Type: In respect of Higher Education, a majority of them belonged to
Government Institutions, and the balance distributed between Sole Ownership and Share
Company forms. In respect of Industry participants, an equal percent was found to belong to
Government and Share Company, while the remaining fell in Sole Ownership, Private
Limited Company, and Non-Governmental Organizations.
Major Activity: With respect to major activity of the participants, while 40 percent of higher
education belonged to teaching, 38 per cent to teaching and administration, and the remaining
involved in administration or other activities like research. With respect to industry
participants, while a majority (63 percent) involved in business administration, the remaining
were involved in other activities.
Position Held: Among the higher education participants, 4 per cent belonged to top
management, 18 to middle management, and the remaining belonged to ‘others’ category. 30
percent of industry participants belonged to top management; while 35 percent each belonged
to middle management and others.
Experience: Participants from higher education profiled with their service with the present
employer thus: 21 percent for less than a year, 70 percent for less than 5 years, and the
55


remaining for more than 5 years. In respect of total period of service the participants
possessed, only 4 percent had a total service of a year, 45 percent had less than 5 years, while
51 percent had more than 5 years total service. Participants from industry were showing
greater continuation with their present employer, thus 13, 37 and 50 percent respectively
recorded less than a year, less than 5 years, and more than 5 years’ service. As to total period
of service, their profile showed 7, 32 and 61 percent respectively in three categories of
service period.
Age group: Majority of the survey respondents belonged to the age group 25 to 40 years, and
a minority belonged the next age group, i.e. 40 to 55 years.
Gender: A great majority of the higher education respondents were male, while in industry
about a fifth was female respondents.
Educational Background: While the educational background of the higher education
respondents were graduates and above, that of industry respondents were mostly above
diploma.
Monthly Income: None of the respondents were in the income range below 1000 birr, while
three-fourth of them in both entities was found to be earning more than 3000 birr a month.
Thus, to put in nutshell, the profile of the respondents in general was mostly male, well-
educated, earning a reasonable monthly income and in most active age group.

Part-II: Existence of Industry-Institute Interface
In this part, the researcher tried to identify the nature and the level of linkages that exist
between higher education and industry. First question of this part focused on the existence of
the linkage – on a five point scale – whether for a long time, recently, very recently, rarely, or
very rarely. The responses were summarized in the table below:

Table 1: Existence of Linkages between Higher Education and Industry
HIGHER
PARTICIPANTS INDUSTRY TOTAL
EDUCATION
Per Per Per
Existence of Linkage Number Number Number
Cent Cent Cent
1 For a long time 11 21% 0 0% 11 10%
2 Recently 13 25% 4 7% 17 15%
3 Very Recently 7 13% 43 72% 50 44%
4 Rarely 16 30% 13 21% 29 26%
5 Very Rarely 6 11% 0 0% 6 5%
TOTAL 53 100% 60 100% 113 100%
Source: Own Survey, 2012

While a fifth of the higher education respondents felt the existence of linkages for a long
time, only a tenth of the industry respondents agreed with that view. On the other hand, as
much as 59 percent of industry respondents felt the linkages are of recent origin, while the
education counterparts supported that moderately with 38 percent. About two-fifth of
institutional respondents, and a third of industry respondents felt that the linkages exist quite
rarely. In fact, a few of the interviewees from higher education felt the linkages to be non-
existent and they sounded so because of paucity of well-developed private industries in this

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part of the country. In the combined analysis, 69 percent favored the existence of some
linkages at least recently, while the remaining 31 percent doubted their existence.

Table 2: Category of Linkages between Higher Education and Industry
HIGHER
EDUCATION
Per
Category of Linkages Number Number Per Cent Number Per Cent
Cent
1 Academic & Research 20 38% 5 8% 25 22%
2 Employer 6 11% 16 27% 22 19%
3 Sponsor 0 0% 1 2% 1 1%
4 Business Relationship 5 9% 10 17% 15 13%
5 Academic / Employer 3 6% 5 8% 8 7%
6 Academic / Sponsor 2 4% 1 2% 3 3%
7 Academic / Business 6 11% 0 0% 6 5%
8 Employer / Sponsor 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
9 Employer / Business 3 6% 6 10% 9 8%
10 Sponsor / Business 0 0% 1 2% 1 1%
11 Acad / Emp / Sponsor 1 2% 2 3% 3 3%
12 Acad / Spon / Business 1 2% 2 3% 3 3%
13 Acad / Emp / Business 4 8% 5 8% 9 8%
14 Emp / Spon / Business 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
15 Acad / Emp / Spon/ Busi 1 2% 6 10% 7 6%
16 No Response 1 2% 0 0% 1 1%
TOTAL 53 100% 60 100% 113 100%

It may be observed from the above table that as much as 38 percent of institutional respondents
considered “Academic & Research support” as significant linkage with the industry. They also
considered “employment support” as the next one with 11 percent, a 9 percent viewed “business
relationships” with industry as significant, and another 11 percent hailed “academic research support
and business relationship”. From viewpoint of industry respondents, “employment support” and
“business relationship” proved significant linkages, since 27 and 17 percent held that view. Again 10
percent of industry-respondents viewed the combination of “employment and business relationship”
as significant, while another 10 percent viewed significance in all four linkages.

Table 3: Summarized presentation of Linkages
HIGHER
EDUCATION
Weights Weighted W.A. Weighted W.A. Weighted W.A.
Linkages Evaluated
applied Average per cent Average per cent Average per cent
1 Academic & Research 1 11.2 33% 11.9 24% 23.1 28%
2 Employment support 2 9.1 27% 15.3 31% 24.4 29%
3 Sponsoring 3 5.5 16% 7.6 15% 13.1 16%
4 Business Relations 4 8.5 25% 14.3 29% 22.8 27%
TOTAL 34.3 100% 49.1 100% 83.4 100%

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The above table 3 presented a more meaningful analysis with weights being applied to
the degree of linkages – very few linkages being assigned ‘1’ and many more linkages
being assigned ‘4’. The overall picture for all kinds of linkages proved that “academic
and research support”, “employment support” and “business relationship” were the
most significant of the linkages between higher education and industry.

Part-III: Benefits perceived of linkages
This part of the questionnaire was intended to identify and rank the benefits of
linkages between higher education and industry. Without any exception, all the 113
respondents agreed that partnership between the two would be beneficial.

Table 4: Greater Beneficiary from the linkages between Higher Education and Industry
HIGHER
GREATER INDUSTRY TOTAL
EDUCATION
BENEFICIARY FROM
Per Per Per
THE LINKAGES Number Number Number
Cent Cent Cent
1 Higher Education 16 30% 1 2% 17 15%
2 Industry 5 9% 36 60% 41 36%
3 Both 32 60% 23 38% 55 49%
TOTAL 53 100% 60 100% 113 100%

As to the question who was the greater beneficiary of the two, 60 percent of academic
respondents viewed both as beneficiaries. 60 percent of industry respondents voted
industry to be greater beneficiary. The combined picture revealed that majority of
respondents viewed both to be beneficiaries.

The researcher applied chi-square test to test H0: opinions of academic and industry
respondents are independent as to major beneficiary from linkages, against H1:
opinions of academic and industry respondents are not independent as to major
beneficiary from linkages. The calculated value of chi was 36.96 while the critical
value (at 5% level of significance) for 5 d.f. was 11.07. Hence, it may be concluded
that the ‘opinions of the respective respondents are not independent’.

Of the five factors presented (in Table 5 in the next page) as benefits accruing to
higher education through linkages with industry, “ability to produce industry-fit
graduate-employees” was voted to be the most significant benefit. “Feasibility to
research and solve real-life / business problems” and “ability to enhance manpower
quality and employability” were considered as the next best by the academic
respondents. Above was the cumulative result of benefit-factors being ranked from 1st

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to 5th positions, which had been appropriately weighted and average obtained for the
same.

Table 5: Benefits accruing to Higher Education through linkages with Industry
BENEFIT 1st position 2nd position 3rd position 4th position 5th position Weig
RANKING weight: 5 weight: 4 weight: 3 weight: 2 weight: 1 Weig hted
FOR hted Avera
Weig Weig Weig Weig Weig
HIGHER Num Num Num Num Num Avera ge
hted hted hted hted hted
EDUCATIO ber ber ber ber ber ge Perce
Total Total Total Total Total
N nt
Ability
to
produce
‘industry
1 -fit’ 9 45 5 20 4 12 2 4 0 0 5.40 27%
graduate
-
employe
es
Ability
to
enhance
manpow
2 er- 3 15 6 24 5 15 4 8 2 2 4.27 21%
quality
and
employa
bility
Feasibilit
y to
research
and solve
3 4 20 7 28 5 15 4 8 0 0 4.73 24%
real-life /
business
problem
s
Gain in
‘practical
wisdom’
4 from 2 10 1 4 2 6 6 12 9 9 2.73 14%
practition
ers’
sharing
Contribut
ion to
Curricula
Desingin
5 2 10 1 4 4 12 4 8 9 9 2.87 14%
g and
Courses
Develop
ment
Source: Own Survey, 2012
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It may be observed from Table 6 that the industry counterparts voted (i) Increase in
productivity and service quality, (ii) Technological innovations leading to improved
performance, and (iii) Reduction in training costs as the most significant of the
benefits accruing to the industry due to linkages with higher institutions.
Table 6: Benefits accruing to Industry through linkages with Higher Institutions
1st position 2nd position 3rd position 4th position 5th position Weight
BENEFIT weight: 5 weight: 4 weight: 3 weight: 2 weight: 1 Weight ed
RANKING ed Averag
Weight Weight Weight Weight Weight
FOR Numb Numb Numb Numb Numb Averag e
ed ed ed ed ed
INDUSTRY er er er er er e Percen
Total Total Total Total Total
t
Increase
in
Productivi
1 14 70 11 44 7 21 4 8 1 1 9.60 26%
ty and
Service
Quality
Reduction
in
2 6 30 4 16 14 42 12 24 1 1 7.53 20%
Training
Costs
Reduction
in Costs of
3 Recruitme 1 5 9 36 11 33 7 14 9 9 6.47 17%
nt and
Selection
Solutions
to real-life
4 / business / 4 20 10 40 0 0 5 10 18 18 5.87 16%
communit
y issues
Technolog
ical
Innovatio
ns leading
5 12 60 3 12 5 15 9 18 8 8 7.53 20%
to
improved
performa
nce

FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The findings from the survey conducted on Industry-Institute Interface and from the
interview conducted with a cross section of survey participants are summarized thus:
Majority of the participants of this research felt that linkages exist between higher
education and industry at least recently. With a marginal variation the participants
agreed upon the existence of linkages in the areas of (i) Employment, (ii) Academic and
Research support, and (iii) Business relationship between the two entities.
Participants from higher education opined more linkages exist in the areas of (i)
Academic and Research support, and (ii) Employment. On the other hand, participants
from industry viewed higher linkages in (i) Employment, and (ii) Business Relationship
between the two entities.

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Every single participant in the survey agreed that the partnership between industry and
institute would be highly beneficial. As to who is the greater beneficiary, a majority
opined that both industry and institute benefit from linkages.
Among the factors presented as potential benefits of linkages, respondents from
academics identified (i) Ability to produce industry-fit candidates; (ii) Feasibility to
research and solve real-life business problems; and (iii) Ability to enhance manpower-
quality and employability as the most significant. To industry respondents, (i) Increase in
productivity and service quality; (ii) Technological Innovations leading to improved
performance; and (iii) Reduction in Training costs, are the most significant potential
benefits in linkages between higher education and industry.
Higher bodies and policymakers are expected to show ‘directions’ in the form of
guidelines and manuals. As opined by a cross-section of interviewees, most of the
happenings are ‘directional’ – meaning thereby they may not happen so unless directed
by higher bodies to do so.

CONCLUSION

Having studied the present and the future of linkages between higher education and industry,
the researcher concludes that there are evidence for the existence of alliances between the two
entities. However, those alliances are not pursued in full measure, and as such the benefits of
strategic partnerships are not fully realized. There is an inability to perceive the potential
benefits and hidden opportunities of the ‘industry-institute interface’, and when they are
properly perceived the inadequacy of resources acts as a major constraint in forging the
alliances. Moreover there is evidence as to ‘imbalance’ in alliances – which is mainly due to
lop-sided growth of industrial sector in urban areas. Future seems to be bright as there are
efforts at various levels in promoting industrial growth in semi-urban and rural areas, and
already higher institutions commenced their operations in almost every part of the country.
Steps must be seriously taken, first by the policymakers and top management, followed by
actions at the ground level by the work force, in forging alliances between the two entities –
as such an effort is expected to bring about enormous benefits to both of them and also
contribute to the economic development of the country as well.

RECOMMENDATIONS

• One of the recommendations to strengthen the alliance between industry and institution is
to conduct symposia with technical sessions chaired and presented by eminent persons
from industry. This can be done as a joint effort by a number of departments/schools –
which will economize the costs and organizing efforts.
• Schools/Departments of higher institutions must create a data bank of ‘industry
professionals/experts” in their catchment area. Such practitioners must be frequently
invited to share their experiences and practical wisdom – thus bridging the gap between
theory and practice. Sharing of best practices will help the learners avoid bigger perils at
lesser costs.
• Student and Staff Researchers of higher institutions must be encouraged to take up real-
life and business-related problems seeking feasible and economical solutions.
• Universities may be encouraged to set up Industry Institute Partnership Cells (IIPCs) and
various industrial, commercial and financial organizations may sponsor collectively in
funding that task. This is a win-win situation for this will be beneficial to the Universities
in not only finding suitable employment opportunities for their products but also to make
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them understand what industry expects them to deliver; to the industry, IIPCs offer twin
advantages of sharing their experiences and seeking solutions to their real-life business
problems, and also getting appropriate training and staff development for their
employees.
• Industrial enterprises must come forward to sponsor, subject to their financial capacity,
the events and activities of higher educational institutions.
• Sustained efforts must be made to encourage research at all levels by contributing to
empirical research. They must be willing to share information (of course, subject to
confidentiality nature of data provided) for the purpose of research, and should be willing
to take the academicians into confidence by sharing their real-time issues and
experiences.
• A small part of the earnings of business enterprises may be donated to the research funds
set up by higher institutions. Policymakers may consider granting of tax exemptions on
contributions made to such research funds.
• Ministry of Education (MoE) may consider assigning appropriate significance (in the
form of weights or marks) to “alliances” forged by higher institutions. Such weights may
be considered, to a certain extent, in determining the grants to the higher institutions, and
in affiliation and accreditation processes.

REFERENCES

1. Apoorva Bharatwaj and B.S.Sahay (2010), “Industry-Institute Integration: exploring symbiotic
engagements for management education”, International Journal of Management Education, ISSN
1750-3868, Vol.4 No.1/2010, pp.46-60
2. Edward B.Acworth (2008), “University-industry engagement: the formation of the Knowledge
Integration Community (KIC) model at the Cambridge-MIT Institute”, Research Policy: Vol.37,
Issue 8, pp.1241-1254
3. Elias G. Caryannis, Jeffrey Alexander (1999), “Winning by co-opeting in strategic government-
university-industry R & D partnerships: the power of complex, dynamic knowledge networks”,
Journal of Technology Transfer, vol.24, no.2/3, 1999.
4. Gargi Sharma & Vedika Sharma: 2012, “MBA losing its sheen: Interplay of various macro-
environmental factors”, Ninth AIMS International Conference on Management, 2012.
5. Howell, John R (Editor), (1972), Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education
– Relations with Industry Annual Conference, University of Houston
6. http://www.ju.edu.et/am/node/294 (accessed on 04-Apr-12)
7. IDRC Archive: Technology Policy and Practice in Africa, “The impact of University Research on
Industrial Innovations: Empirical Evidence from Kenya”, accessed from web on 29/Mar/12
8. Ji Soo Kim ( 2002), “Industry and University Linkage for Development through Technical
Human Resource Development in Korea”, A study on Innovation toward University-Industry
Networking: Standford University
9. Magnus Gulbrandsen and Lars Nerdrum (2007), “University-Industry relations in Norway”, TIK
Working Paper on Innovation Studies No.20070613, version of 23.7.2007
10. Mahanti, Rupa and Mahanti P.K. (2005), Software Engineering education and training, 18th
conference, Ottawa-Canada, ISSN 1093-0175, pp.111-117
11. Santoro, Michael D and Betts, Stephen C (2002), “Making Industry-University Partnerships
work”, Research-Technology Management: Vol.45, No.3, pp.42-46

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