The efficiency of scientific activities and technology transfer in higher education in Poland

Abstract

The objective of the article is to measure and evaluate the efficiency of scientific activity and technology transfer to the economy by public higher education institutions (HEIs) in Poland and to formulate recommendations for state policy to increase the effectiveness of the technology transfer process by them. The study measured scientific activity and technology transfer separately in two groups of higher education institutions (i.e., universities and technical universities). Two non-radial models, SBM and BP-SBM, which belong to the non-parametric Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method, were used for the study.All examined higher education institutions are more efficient in basic research than in transferring technology to the economy. However, technical universities are more efficient in technology transfer and universities in basic research. In most cases, technical universities are more accomplished in scientific activity than universities in technology transfer. Research shows that universities have been almost entirely focused on basic research, and technical universities have engaged in basic research and technology transfer to the economy in various ways. The research results confirmed the existence of very weak links between science and business in terms of knowledge and technology transfer to the economy. This is due to many factors. The authors presented recommendations for necessary actions that will enable the increase of technology transfer by public universities in Poland.An interesting direction of future research is the measurement and evaluation of the effectiveness of technology transfer of the second group of NIS entities in Poland, i.e. research institutes.