Universities across the globe are in the process of restructuring their curriculums to bridge the gap between academic research and applied industrial research. There is a greater emphasis on learning outcomes oriented toward solution-based approaches. Students are often confused about how they can link their academic research with applied industrial research. This article will provide comprehensive guidelines on how to convert academic research into applied industrial research.
Why is it imperative to link academic research with applied industrial research?
Academia is often charged with the label “Ivory Tower,” which sheds light on the disengagement of academics from practical problems and issues. The charge is partially true because academic abstractions are often detached from the ground realities. Globalisation and revolution in digitalization and artificial intelligence have changed the entire landscape of markets and industry. Industry employers seek solution-oriented candidates who can conduct cutting-edge research to help companies gain a competitive advantage in the market.
Universities are important drivers of socioeconomic advancement. Their focus has progressively shifted from conventional learning and research outcomes to include engagement with industry and society. Scholars and business professionals have paid close attention to the function of universities in translating knowledge to practical aspects of the industry. It equips students to tailor their academic research to industry-specific issues and challenges and become change agents.
Universities are paying keen attention to sharpen the research skills of students in a manner that caters to industrial needs and requirements. These initiatives are changing the entire structure of education and ultimately lead to increased job prospects and equip students with a diverse skill set to thrive and compete in today’s global competitive economy.
How to convert academic research into applied industrial research?
Do Some Research
The first step to converting academic research into applied industrial research is to do online research. You must identify the research and development departments of various research-driven industries and appreciate the role of research in sparking innovation and creating a difference in society. For example, Loreal Paris company conducts extensive research before launching its products in the market. Research experts in the company thoroughly survey the market and identify the trends and consumer demands. Loreal spends a significant amount of money on research; thus, every company product is a success story.
You can read the latest reports of the companies and check out their research and development departments. It will help you identify the strengths and shortcomings and make room for your research idea. Some companies do not disclose their research publicly due to privacy concerns. Therefore, you can visit the companies and convince them about your academic research and how it will be helpful for the specific industry.
Attend Expos and business gatherings
Expos and various conferences or business gatherings help you identify the specific industry-related issues you can work on. During these conferences and expos, various industry experts shed light on the latest developments in the industry and discuss various issues and challenges. So, attending expos and business gatherings helps identify the basis for converting academic research into applied industrial research.
Read Business Newspapers
Newspapers are a great source for identifying the needs and demands of industries. They also help identify the trends and latest developments in specific industries. So, reading newspapers is a good strategy for identifying your interests and devising appropriate methods for converting academic research into applied industrial research.
Identify your Research Interest
The second step to converting academic research into applied industrial research is identifying your interests. Every university has a research and innovation department which collaborates with various industries within the vicinity of the university, locality, or city. Universities actively collaborate with industry experts to chart a course of action to increase student engagement with industry-related issues.
You can talk to your supervisor that how you can structure your academic research around industry-related issues. However, the important thing to remember is that you must identify the specific industry you want to engage with to convert your academic research into industrial research. For example, you can identify the industry-related issues pertaining to technological, environmental, and cybersecurity challenges that confront universities. You can visit the concerned industry and meet the experts to identify their issues and challenges. For example, cybersecurity has become an integral issue for companies, and they actively seek solutions to devise solutions to withstand the onslaught of cyber-attacks.
Similarly, industrialists seek to minimise costs and enhance product quality and durability by implementing cutting-edge technology. You can reach out to the research and development department of the specific industry and convince them to collaborate to devise innovative solutions. You can also take the help of expert writers at Ph.D. Dissertation Help who are skilled at writing on applied industrial research.
Narrow down the Issue
Once you list the issues and industry-specific requirements, the next step is to narrow down the issue and focus on a specific aspect of the industrial application. You can see which specific issue matches your expertise and interests. Once you do that, the next step is to prepare a research proposal.
Prepare a Research Proposal
Preparing a research proposal is the third step to converting academic research into industrial research. A proposal is important to demonstrate to the industry experts how your approach toward the issue matters and how it will contribute to value addition. A proposal must be compelling and argumentative to convince the industrials about the significance of your research. Also, it is important to conduct a feasibility study to determine whether the proposed solutions can be conducted appropriately. A research proposal is the most important document which convinces industry experts about the significance and feasibility of your academic research and its relevance to the industry. Therefore, if you experience difficulty writing the research proposal, you can always get help from expert writers at Research Proposal Help.
Reach out to as many companies as possible
The most important thing to remember while working on converting academic research into industrial research is that if you only approach one industry, chances are that you might not get the approval for collaboration. You must take a smart approach and reach out to as many companies as possible. It is a time taking procedure; however, it yields profitable dividends. Reach out to the competitors because not everyone has a vision, while those who have a vision will employ you and might be interested in your research. Therefore, do not put all your eggs in one basket and reach out to as many companies as possible.
Conclusion
Converting academic research into applied industrial research requires solution-oriented approaches. Students must establish linkages between academia and industry by articulating their research in a manner that leads to innovation and cost minimisation.