Industry-University Relations In Israel Can we do better at this critical time? Moshe Oron, Ph.D.

1. Industry-University Relations In Israel Can we do better at this critical time? Moshe Oron, Ph.D. Chief Scientist – KiloLambda Technologies, Ltd. Chairman, Industry-University Relations Committee, Israel National Council for Research and Development Herzlia 2009

2. Industry-University Relations, Publications

3. What to do at this crisis time? • The current crisis will take a year or more, technological societies are using this time to prepare novel technologies for better times • David Gross and 49 other Nobel laureates wrote recently an open letter to president Obama advocating the investments in science: • In 1933, in the depths of the Great Depression, the economist John Maynard Keynes wrote an open letter to President Franklin Roosevelt. In it, he described in terms that resonate today the requirements for an economic recovery package: “Speed and quick results are essential ... I put in the forefront ... a large volume of ... expenditures under government auspices ... Preference should be given to those which can be made to mature quickly on a large scale.” • The stimulus provides a great opportunity to begin rebuilding US science, because increased science funding is an ideal stimulus: it creates good jobs across the economy; there is large pent-up need so that money can be spent immediately; and it represents an investment in the infrastructures of scientific research and higher education that are vital to the future. • The university and industrial research in Israel are at top world class, the number of engineers and scientists per capita is the highest in world • We ought to use this time to execute a national emergency program for fast Knowhow transfer between university and industry and emerge stronger from this crisis • Some ways are proposed in this talk • במצגת זו יובאו מספר הצעות לביצוע

4. Who are the “players” • The seven research universities (Hebrew, Tel-Aviv, Weizmann, Bar-Ilan, Ben-Gurion, Haifa) • The 24 colleges • The Israeli industry • The Government, having “few hats”as follows: • Governmental research institutes, including the defense institutes • The government as the financial support of the universities and colleges • The government as the financial support of innovations in industry • The government, responsible for high school education and preparation of university candidates • Israel National Council for Research and Development as an adviser to the Government on R&D policy

5. Industry Needs • University graduates (1st, 2nd and 3rd degrees) • Scientists, Engineers • Accountants, economists • Novel, disruptive technologies • IP and patents for novel technologies • Industry financed research • Collaboration, by either weakly advice or sabbatical year of university researchers at the industry • Admission to very expensive equipment (e.g. Accelerator, Novel microscope) • “Telem” program for infrastructure

6. University Needs • Financial support • Research projects • Research grants and scholarships • Student projects in industry, manly for engineering students • Exposure to the development directions of the industry • Regular • Defense • Teachers from industry, in selected subjects

7. The Manpower situation in Israel • 42,000 researchers, 0.6% of the population. 100,000 engineers, 1.4% of the population. 286,000 qualified technicians 4% of the population. These are world top numbers! • The technology teaching universities are placed high, on a world scale, 4 are among the first 250 in the world • The number of graduating students is less than the need to replace the retiring engineers and scientists in industry • 75% of the university researchers in physical sciences are older than 51 years. The same applies to engineering. • There is already a need for Medical Doctors, Organic Chemists, Electrical engineers and lately Mechanical engineers as well • The number of high school graduates with 4-5 units in Math, Physics, Chemistry is lower than needed for the universities It looks as if we are in a better condition than the rest of the world, but???

8. Transfer of Intellectual Property between university and industry-status • Israel is a leading country in IP transfer (e.g. only in the pharmacological field there are two drugs that provide income of B$5/year) • In the past as well as present universities are contributing a lot to the defense industry • A large portion of the university IP is sold abroad, either by TTOs or joint research • Most of the professors spend their sabbatical abroad • The chances to emerge from the crisis can be enhances by novel ideas and IP in e.g. biotechnology and nanotechnology but the odds are against local industries It looks as if we are in a better condition than the rest of the world, but???

9. The proposal • We call for a 3 year nationwide emergency program, managed by seniors of the three authorities, government, university, industry. (The NCRD will assist, fund and support the managing team) • At the university level • Preference for local industry in IP transfer • Preference for sabbaticals in local industry • A day per week of consultation to industry • Absorbing teachers from local and world industry for instruction of needed subjects like electrical eng. organic chemistry, system eng. Etc. • At the industry level • Openness and financing part time teachers from industry • Encouragement for students project in industry • Openness in industrial needs, toward the university

10. The Proposal-Government Part • Education of high school students • Increasing the number taking 4-5 units in math, Physics, chemistry, biology • Increase the number of students that pass the matriculation tests • Restart technological education • As the financial supporter of the universities • Open new staff positions (see Shochat committee recommendations) • Increase budgets of university-industry joint research (e.g. “Magnet” programs) • As the financial supporter of the R&D in Industry • Increase the MOITAL chief scientist budget • Reduced taxes for startups • Reduced taxes for needed professionals coming back to Israel • Governmental research institutes, including the defense institutes and hospitals • Creation of IP and technology transfer, this is the largest unexplored source of know how for the regular industry

11. Thank you!