Interfering factors of academics towards university-industry linkages in Sri Lanka: an analysis based on institutional demographics

Abstract

The primary role of Sri Lankan universities when driving towards an innovative economy as providing advanced human resource capacity and then directing those people towards university-industry projects (Gamage, 2015). Therefore, number of scientists or the monetary value of the investment is all-time problems of a developing economy, but most critical issue is the availability of entrepreneurial mind sets in the system. Consequently, in this university- industry collaboration, academics those who transform research outcome to a commercialized product or contribute to a company formation are significant in uplifting the country’s economy. However, prior research works have revealed that academics and industry partners of Sri Lanka demarcate lack or loose linkages in between them (Esham, 2008). Many studies were conducted to assess the role of university as an institute in this university-industry linkage, but not for individual faculty members as the actors of this relationship. Hence, this research was conducted to study about hindering factors with Sri Lankan academics towards university- industry linkages.