Reza Farajtabar, on Tuesday, referring to over 20 years of activity in the field of science and technology and interaction with higher education institutions in the country, raised the question of why, despite the scientific capacities of universities, the technical capabilities of industries, and the valuable experience of the country's specialists, we have not yet been able to utilize all the capacities of these two sectors for knowledge production, technology development, and economic value creation?
The Importance of Innovation in the Petrochemical Industry
He added: This question is even more significant in the petrochemical industry; an industry that, on one hand, faces heavy investments, complex technologies, extensive production chains, and competitive global markets, and on the other hand, needs continuous innovation, cost reduction, increased productivity, development of new products, and a shift towards sustainable production to maintain and enhance its position.
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According to Farajtabar, in such circumstances, the relationship with universities should not be considered a side activity, ceremonial, or merely administrative, but rather a part of the development and competitiveness strategy of petrochemical companies. In today's industry, competitive advantage does not solely come from production capacity or access to feedstock, but also from technical knowledge, speed of innovation, and the ability to solve complex problems.
Transformation in the Approach to Industry-University Collaboration
This science and technology activist identified one of the reasons for the existing gap as the relatively traditional view of the relationship between industry and university and stated: In this traditional view, industry raises an issue, the university conducts research, and ultimately a report is delivered; this type of collaboration can be valuable, but it is not sufficient for an industry like petrochemicals that deals with complex technologies, specialized products, and competitive global markets.
Farajtabar emphasized that it is time to move from "research for industry" to "knowledge production with industry" and noted: One of the opportunities that can be seriously considered in this path is the publication of joint scientific articles between universities and petrochemical companies in reputable international journals.
He pointed to the need to create joint teams of industry and university specialists, saying: These teams should be present at all stages of defining the problem, conducting research, analyzing results, and evaluating industrial applications.
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