A quality engineering University does at least three things for society:
- Research and develop new materials, products and processes.
- Educate undergrads the basics and what they’re learning via professors and graduate students.
- Spin-off companies or sell intellectual property so new technology can be commercialized for the benefit of the public.
For the companies that heavily invest in high-tech R&D to generate future business, perhaps they should be looking to certain universities as models to innovate more effectively. #1 above applied to company is of course the main function of most R&D divisions in a high-tech company. With #3, companies typically keep possession of their own businesses and IP and do not often spin-off. Role #2 however, may be a stretch for a company to embrace as something they should focus on; in role #2 I propose that the educators should be the managers, scientists, engineers and technicians and the students are those same managers, scientists, engineers and technicians. We should be comfortable with wearing both “hats”, we should be full-time teachers and students.
I think the role of teacher in a R&D company is largely neglected, teaching skills are rarely developed if at all, they are only developed in a select few employees. I think this is a major mistake in R&D high-tech companies today.
The concept of collaboration, conferences, technical reviews and even internal monthly reporting is largely a teaching activity. If you think about it we are teaching constantly but largely we do not teach with intention.
Companies with large R&D investment in their business plans ought to accept the idea that almost all employees should be actively teaching and developing their teaching skills.
How much of your time is spent teaching and/or being taught throughout your work day?
