If Canada is to take advantage of the US-created economic storm, university leaders must do a better job of encouraging university-industry collaborations, write Richard Gold (McGill University), Marc Fortin (McGill), Evan Henry (McGill), and Martin Bader (University of St Gallen). The authors argue that university-industry relationships in Canada currently face several issues, including a “tepid” attitude towards partnerships and policies that encourage the sale of patents to foreign firms. However, university-industry relationships present significant potential benefits for Canadian innovation, the economy, and, by extension, the general public. The authors call on Canadian universities to better support Canadian companies “by prioritizing partnerships, simplifying arrangements with industry, and by building critical knowledge resources.”
