Government Incentivisation of Higher Education-Industry Research Partnership in: An Audit of THRIP and the Innovation Fund (Working Partnerships series)

This study explores the extent to which the networked practices that are believed to characterize the knowledge economy have begun to penetrate South African higher education and industry. For places where networks have developed, certain questions are addressed—How have they taken form and shape in the South African context, with specific national policy and economic imperatives?To what extent is there evidence of collaboration in knowledge generation, diffusion, or application that will ultimately contribute to innovation?In what ways has government succeeded in promoting such partnerships? and What are the kinds of changes and benefits partnerships are bringing about in both higher education and industry? Through these questions, the study aims to open up the field and establish benchmark descriptions of the partnership and network activity emerging in South African higher education and industry.