WHAT INNOVATION MEANS TO HUMANITIES

WHAT INNOVATION MEANS TO HUMANITIES 

 

The industrial model of innovation has the notion of smart ideas leading to products, which then are taken to market through commercialisation or some process of technology transfer. But this notion of commercialisation does not always sit well with the image or activities of the humanities, arts and social sciences.

Almost the first activity of the newly-formed Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences was a survey of commercial activities of people working in the field. Our respondents were researchers and educators at the tertiary level, and the subsequent report is a snapshot of who is commercialising research and how they approach this task.

Services, such as research consultancy and contracting, were found to be the most common form of commercialisation, particularly in the area of government policy advice.

The benefits were wide: improvements to teaching and research through a better understanding of the needs of industry; exposure of students to industry practices and research experience; higher profile and enhanced promotional prospects, as well as improving business and negotiation skills; and economic rewards that allow departments and faculties to fund research units, to hire staff, and to send researchers to conference.

But for many, money is not the driving factor in the commercialisation of their work, nor are they comfortable with the idea that commercial imperatives should govern their research activities. They are attracted to the idea of being relevant, influential and connected to their communities. Commercial activities allow them to engage with the community by helping solve
social and community problems.

The report is available on the CHASS website, www.chass.org.au.

Toss Gascoigne, Executive Director,
CHASS

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