In a conversation with Mehr reporter, Mohammad Hassanzadeh said about the role of universities in solving social problems and turning research io practice: In rece years, one of the most repeated criticisms of universities is why, despite the large volume of research and theses, social and economic problems still persist. To answer this question, we must first know the real position of universities in the knowledge chain and their role in solving society’s problems.
He described universities as ceers for the production of science and capable human resources and coinued: If we compare a university to a factory, its product is knowledge, technology and specialized human resources. Just as a food factory is not responsible for feeding people and only produces “product”, universities are not responsible for conducting research and directly implemeing solutions.
The head of Irandak research institute emphasized: University builds, produces and empowers human resources; But implemeing the findings is the duty of executive institutions, governance system, industry, private sector and society.
This specialist in information science and epistemology stated that a lot of research has been done in universities on various issues of the coury; He said: The reality is that extensive research has been done in universities for almost all urban, social, economic, environmeal and cultural issues of the coury. Detailed theses and treatises have been written, practical models and solutions have been preseed, and even empirical evidence and applicable analyzes have been prepared.
He poied out: universities do not lack solutions; Rather, there is a lack of “translation of solutions io action”. The solutions do not reach the action stage and are not implemeed. Thousands of scieific solutions for air pollution, traffic, water, urban manageme, knowledge-based economy, health, energy, etc. But they are not used.
Why are research findings not translated io “practice”?
A faculty member of Tarbiat Modares University stated that we need a proper mechanism to translate knowledge io executive actions and said: In Iran, a vital link in the knowledge chain is missing. We don’t have an institution or a mechanism that takes research out of universities and turns it io an understandable, applicable and decision-able language. There is no institution that delivers research findings to industry, governme and society.
He explained about the existence of this vital link in many couries: In many couries, this missing link is filled by institutions such as technology transfer offices, knowledge brokerage ceers, university-governme ierfaces, science policy analysts, technology consultas and policy laboratories. But in Iran, research usually remains in libraries and does not reach policy makers, or is not translated io the language of implemeation, or there is no financial and institutional model for its implemeation.
The need for a multi-sector ecosystem to use research
Hassanzadeh stated that a multi-sector ecosystem is needed for research to become operational, adding: the governme should design structures to attract research and technologies. Ministries, municipalities and executive bodies should act in a problem-orieed and order-orieed manner. The private sector must also have the motivation and ability to absorb technology. In addition, the media and society should trust scieific solutions and participate in their implemeation process. Also, like a translator and iermediary, knowledge brokering should convert science io decision-making and then implemeation.
Universities are responsible for the production of science, not its direct implemeation
In the end, the head of Irandak research institute stated: Universities play their role in producing knowledge and training expert human resources well; But in order for these achievemes to effectively play a role in solving society’s problems, there is a need for agency institutions to transfer this knowledge to practice. If the missing links in the chain of knowledge are completed, we can hope that university researches will be implemeed and the coury’s problems will be solved effectively.
