What Impedes Universities from Creating Dual-Purpose Technologies?

Abstract

Modern universities play a significant role, and in some countries, a key role, in research and development on a large variety of topics, often belonging to the sphere of national security. University research in the US is an illustrative example in this regard, which is an important source of knowledge and technology for the military and its industrial counterparts. However, even with the large number of theoretical and empirical studies focusing on the different aspects of university research innovation activities, so far, the problems of the development of military or dual use technologies by universities has been poorly covered in the economic literature.

In this article, the specific features of university participation in defense research and development is examined using the example of the Russian higher education institutions. It is shown that Russian universities are poorly involved in defense-related activities. On the basis of a sample survey of 80 universities and also analyzing certain public policies in research and innovations, the conclusion has been made that higher education institutions have considerable potential for performing research and development for the defense industry. The actual problems and obstacles hindering the development of research activities in the interest of the defense industry at universities are identified, including the traditional orientation of industrial companies on the their own research divisions and sectoral research institutes and design bureaus, weak information about the current opportunities and achievements of university research, inadequate activity of universities in promoting their own research competencies, and the creation of an image of advanced R&D centers. Possible ways of solving the existing problems are proposed.