Academia-industry links: modes of knowledge transfer at the Indian Institutes of Technology

Abstract

Historically, Indian Institutes of Technology have been firmly oriented towards the goal of being institutes of academic merit that have a positive trickle-down effect on the India's academic environment. While it is widely held that Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), established on the lines of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, produce highly trained and globally recognised quality engineers, scientists and managers, their contribution in areas of fundamental and applied research are not well documented and need academic scrutiny. This paper attempts to fill this evident gap by examining and documenting the knowledge assets and intellectual property generated in IITs that can be or have been transferred to industry. It explores the modes of knowledge transfer and points of interface of institute with industry. The paper further highlights the institutional and organisational processes that influence innovation in five IITs at Bombay, Delhi, Kanpur, Kharagpur and Madras.