The event "Path: Commercialization of University Theses" was held at Shiraz University.
According to the Public Relations of Shiraz University, in honor of Research and Technology Week, the event "Path: Commercialization of University Theses" was organized for graduate students by the Center for Specialized Innovation in Engineering Sciences at Shiraz University.
Reconstruction of the missing link between university and industry through the commercialization of academic theses
Dr. Sajad Taqvai, the director of Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship at Shiraz University, explained on the sidelines of this event the reconstruction of the missing link between the university and industry through the commercialization of university theses. The title "Path" was chosen for this event based on the path of students from the approval of the research proposal to the thesis defense. Unfortunately, this path usually ends after the thesis defense with just one or a few articles. Therefore, Innovation Management at Shiraz University has made efforts to institutionalize the concept of commercializing theses among students by holding workshops that familiarize participants with the industry and introduce them to investors. This will help students and graduates navigate their path toward product development smoothly.
Dr. Taqvai continued: Generally, students invest significant time and resources in expanding their technical knowledge during several years of study, but the final product cannot enter the market directly without initial research. On the one hand, there is a need for significant investments, and on the other hand, it must be ensured that the final product exactly meets customer needs. Therefore, we help students and graduates acquire the necessary skills and connections for commercializing their products if they have met the minimum technical requirements for market entry.
The director of Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship at Shiraz University emphasized the importance of organizing such events and stated: The issue of university-industry collaboration has always been one of the fundamental challenges for decision-makers at universities across Iran. Diligent and elite students at Shiraz University, a scientific hub in the south of the country, with the presence of valuable professors, annually bring about a thousand theses to the defense stage. Among the completed theses, some have the potential to be presented to the industry/markets and meet the country's basic needs. However, due to a missing link in this process, a considerable number of these theses are forgotten after defense.
Dr. Taqvai added: The main reasons for this issue are lack of financial/economic attention, proper understanding of customer needs, and lack of investors. In light of this, the mission of Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship Management at Shiraz University is to reconstruct this missing link with the help of experienced professors, consultants, and specialists in these fields, and establish effective communication between the university and the industry.
