“Transfer 1000”: Study on science transfer published

Brain City Berlin

Transfer activities and research do not compete with each other. On the contrary: The more active scientists are in an area of transfer, the more active they are in other areas – including science. This is one of the key findings of the “Transfer 1000” study conducted by the Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin) together with the Fraunhofer IAO Center for Responsible Research and Innovation (CeRRI) and Forsa.

The aim of the study was to find out how the transfer from science to practice can succeed. To this end, the previously missing “bottom-up” perspective of transfer-active scientists was to be recorded – in order to supplement the “top-down” perspective at German research organisations.

In the quantitative survey, more than 1,000 researchers were asked in the summer of 2022 about the importance of transfer, transfer activities, transfer motivations and their institutional transfer environment. The study revealed: The desire to have an impact with one’s own research is the strongest motivation for active transfer among scientists. 85 per cent of respondents at universities and research institutions rated their work as socially relevant. 79 percent were of the opinion that science should assume social responsibility.

However, major transfer activities with politics, society and business are still limited to a small number of particularly active individuals in science. And this despite the fact that more than half of all scientists already use social media professionally and participate in high-profile events. “So there is already a broad commitment, but at a low level,” summarises Prof. Dr. Martina Schraudner, Head of the “Gender and Diversity in Technology and Product Development” department at TU Berlin and the Fraunhofer Center for Responsible Research and Innovation (CeRRI) at Fraunhofer IAO. She believes that one of the main reasons for this is the lack of support from the environment. “Our study shows that, overall, academics rate the support measures, incentive systems and appreciation for each type of transfer as rather poor.” The UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Hong Kong are already much further ahead in this respect. “In particular, the majority experience the support provided by contact points, programs, networking opportunities, training and further education opportunities, time and personnel resources as well as their superiors as poor. In addition, research organisations hardly use incentive systems for transfer by means of financial bonuses or career benefits.”

According to the study, scientists and academics in the 45 to 59 age group with a professorship and management responsibility are particularly active in transfer. Not surprising: Application-oriented researchers are particularly active in the exchange with industry. Scientists and researchers at non-university organisations engage in more intensive exchange with politics, society and business than their colleagues at universities.

One of the most important results of the study: Transfer as the third core function of the science system does not affect the other two core functions of research and teaching. It even strengthens them. (vdo)

Study “Transfer 1000” (Download, German only)

Prof. Dr. Martina Schraudner, Head of the “Gender and Diversity in Technology and Product Development” department at TU Berlin and the Fraunhofer Center for Responsible Research and Innovation (CeRRI) at Fraunhofer IAO is Scientific director of the project "Transfer 1000".