The UK and the "Corporate University". (December 20, 2011)

Stuart Parkinson is Executive Director of Scientists for Global Responsibility and co-author of the report, Science and the Corporate Agenda: The detrimental effects of commercial influence on science and technology.

Dr Parkinson's opinion piece "Science and the corporate university in Britain" in Open democracy opens with: "It has surprised few that since coming to power the Cameron government has pursued an agenda which included pressing for much stronger links between university and business," and finds that its concept to direct linkage of (university) research to commercial innovation is riddled with fallacious reasoning.  He points out that some 18-years ago the Conservative government lead by John Major "argued that greater commercialisation of academic research was needed to fuel economic growth", and there has been pressure to achieve this goal through direct intervention ever since.

Dr Parkinson argues:

• In general, direct commercial funding of a research study increases the likelihood that the results will be favourable to the funders . One way in which this bias – known as sponsorship bias – happens is that funders tend to choose scientists who are already sympathetic to their viewpoint.

• A lack of openness occurs due to the use of commercial confidentiality agreements (including patents) and other intellectual property rights considerations. This can lead to delays in the publication of results, or even non-publication of results.

• There occur conflicts of interest among scientific researchers – especially financial interests – can also compromise the research process.

• Within universities, departments and researchers with strong industry links are frequently rewarded with more public funding. This leads to a fundamental shift in what research is carried out and what research is not. In general, applied technical work becomes better supported than ‘blue skies’ research.

• The fixation with maintaining the current economic system – which is only stable when it is endlessly growing – prevents humanity from solving a range of urgent environmental and social problems.

• Universities are being pressed to put much greater priority on work which contributes to economic growth, while there is no clear funding stream for research which looks at alternative economic models, such as the steady-state economy.

And Dr Parkinson's conclusion? "This looks very much like the government's political bias in favour of the prevailing – but failing – economic system is fundamentally undermining the ability of the university to do what it can do so well – provide fresh insight into, and suggest workable solutions for, the full range of humanity’s problems. We urgently need to protect the independence of the university system."