University policies and productive sectors

MARIANA VERSINO

Buenos Aires

Otro; 2nd. ISA Forum of Sociology “Social Justice & Democratization”; 2012

International Sociological Association

In the so-called "information society" or "knowledge society" the institutional mission  of universities is modified adding to the traditional functions of research, teaching and extension, the function or technology transfer. Without entering the debate about whether it is a fourth and "new" role of universities or the reformulation of the "old" extension function characteristic of Latin American context, currently are being developed in public universities nonexistent activities before or, at least, not as systematically developed. These include the establishment of contracts for the sale of services and expertise being the universities direct private sector counterpart, the patenting of knowledge to transform the university in its owner or the management of business incubators and technology parks. The paper presents the development of policies to promote linkages between the university and the productive sectors in Argentina since the return to democracy in 1983. There are established stages in the evolution of these policies both in relation to discourses as practices developed by national universities. It is analyzed the organizational structures created to manage the connection with the production environment at the national level and it is investigated the empirical information that can be obtained in relation to the development of such activities for the whole higher education system. The existing data relating to technology transfer activities are surveyed: the amount of own revenues; institutional dependency of the activities; listings existence of agreements and transfer activities with the productive sector; existence of incubators and technology parks; resolutions that govern the activities, among others.