Matching Grants for Stimulating Partnerships between Companies and Universities in Innovation Area: Initial Effects in Russia

The paper focuses on the analysis of a new government instrument to foster the development of university-industry links by awarding matching grants to companies with obligation to outsource R and D to universities. The objectives of the study included analysis of motivation for cooperation both from side of universities and companies; primary effects and side-effects of matching grants. The research results are based on 40 in-depth interviews conducted in 2011-2012 with representatives of companies and universities. Our findings show that major motivations from side of universities were possibility to get valuable research tasks from companies, selection of most competitive teams of researchers who may work with companies, and strengthening reputation in business environment. Companies were interested in getting government funding in order to solve their technological problems; to strengthen, due cooperation with universities, their research capacity, and to use modern research infrastructure located at universities. The major effects of the matching grants include but are not limited to strengthening of university orientation towards solving practical tasks which are of interest to business; institutionalization of relations between universities and business in the innovation sphere, broadening of research cooperation; harmonization of research and educational activity in universities.