Editors'Column
Campus and Company Partnerships Rapidly changing economic condi tions have increased interest in uni versity-industry relationships within the academic and corporate communi ties. Programs such as Hewlett-Pack ard's contribution of analytical instru mentation to colleges and universities (Anal. Chem. 1983,55,47 A) and the Harvard-Monsanto and MIT-Exxon partnerships are examples of a 10-year upward trend in this activity, accord ing to a report published by the Na
tional Science Board, the policy-mak ing body of the National Science Foundation (NSF). The report, entitled "UniversityIndustry Research Relationships: Myths, Realities and Potentials," states that although most recent dis cussions attribute a base figure of be tween 3 and 4% of academic research and development to industrial sources, this is a significant underesti mation due to several omissions, in-
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CIRCLE 68 ON READER SERVICE CARD
492 A • ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, VOL. 55, NO. 4, APRIL 1983
eluding the following: • major research universities that do not report research and development expenditures from industrial sources, • exclusion of industrial gifts and loans of scientific equipment from the data base, • gifts from corporate-sponsored foundations not being counted as in dustrial support by many universities, and • estimation of the portion of unre stricted corporate gifts of operating and capital funds that is spent on ac tual research expenses not being made. The report states that "there are sound reasons to believe that we may be at the threshold of a permanent new state of corporate-academic re search relationships." However, de spite the likelihood of this trend in creasing, it states that "all available evidence indicates that private indus try has neither the resources nor the intention to compensate for any sub stantial cuts in publicly funded aca demic research. The implication is clear: If the present level of academic research is to be maintained, the prin cipal burden will continue to fall upon the public purse, both federal and state governments." The report identifies the mutual benefits as well as the difficulties and frictions involved in negotiating and conducting these partnerships. The innovative organizational experiments that the biotechnology field has given rise to are also discussed. In conclu sion, it is suggested that the basis for a healthy strengthening of universityindustry cooperation is not increased partnership, but increased under standing of each other's role. The.NSF report (038-000-00517-1) is available for $4.75 from the Super intendent of Documents, U.S. Govern ment Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. Rani Anne George
