K&TTC director is a member the ministry's advisory team | Gdańsk University of Technology

Changes taking place in higher education, thanks to e.g. introducing the Constitution for Science, generate the need for new ways of assessing their effectiveness. In addition to evaluating the quality of education, a method of assessing knowledge and technology transfer is needed as well. A new advisory team, composed of representatives of several Polish universities, both experts - practitioners and scientists, is to deal with the development of new assessment methods. The 10-person team is just starting its activity.

 –Transfer of knowledge and technology as well as the impact of science on the socio-economic environment is for universities, apart from research and teaching development, one of the most important tasks. While at technical universities a significant part of the effects of cooperation is very tangible, has a practical dimension, and is therefore quite easily measurable, in many areas, e.g. the humanities and social sciences, it is much more difficult to measure – explains director Damian Kuźniewski. – We should therefore consider whether, and if so - how to evaluate the university's third mission.

Instruments of this kind are already being introduced in the most developed academic systems (e.g. in Great Britain, Australia). The evaluation system examining the transfer of knowledge and technology may intensify and expand cooperation between science and business.

 – Developing the rules for evaluating knowledge and technology transfer is to include universities and research institutes that cooperate with business, public administration or non-government organizations - adds Damian Kuźniewski. – This will allow for a better assessment and drawing conclusions from changes while providing research and consulting services, cooperating between enterprises and universities in the field of research or commercialization of inventions.

As the Ministry of Education and Science informs on its website: ‘Transfer evaluation will be based on indicators. Parameters shall be needed that use data already collected as part of public statistics or the POL-on system. Conducting evaluation, as a rule, should not involve increasing reporting obligations on the part of the evaluated entities.’