Analysis of a University-industry linkage experience in the context of the COVID-19 health emergency

Abstract

This paper presents the results of the analysis of an experience of collaboration and co-production of knowledge between the university and its environment, motivated in the context of the COVID-19 health emergency. Through the reconstruction of the institutional, organizational and technical path for the production of a cycler for respiratory support, we analyze the key factors that facilitate and obstruct its development, and define the characteristics of the co-production of knowledge in this space of interaction, in which a national university, a technological center and a private company, among other actors, participate. These processes involve interaction dynamics that imply strategies, previous experiences and knowledge of the participants, generating modifications in their practices. A noteworthy finding is the influence of the exceptional nature of the health emergency on the rupture with traditional university-environment linkage processes. The formation of a wide network of actors who collaborated without previous ties, the rapid adaptation and modification of bureaucratic and administrative processes, and a rupture with the traditional logic of the relationship between the university and the company in terms of knowledge are highlighted. The results reveal the agile adaptation of the participants, the transformation of institutional practices and a greater openness towards interdisciplinary collaboration and accelerated transfer of knowledge and technologies. These exceptional experiences could have significant implications for the future of university-industry linkages, suggesting new forms of collaboration and generating hypotheses for future research.