Helping to bridge the academic-industry gap
We also learnt which methods universities feel have been – or could be – most useful in narrowing the gap. Our aim going forward is to make events like this more frequent, and to host further events that include our industry members. We realised that even simple initiatives such as putting academics in contact with the right people in industry – with names and numbers – could prove to be extremely valuable.
An underlying aspect which became apparent in the breakout rooms was the idea of mindset and perception. If Gambica can help academics and industry to improve the public perception of manufacturing career opportunities, this could, in turn, help to engage the next generation and stimulate interest in emerging technologies and engineering in the UK.
We need to maintain output without affecting efficiency. During the current climate with staff being furloughed and lockdowns at some universities, we must act to ensure that the gap between industry and academia does not become bigger.
If you represent a UK academic institution or university and would like to find out more about our event, or if you work in industry and are seeking ways to improve your interaction with UK universities, then please get in touch with us at Gambica so we can help find the synergies that will help UK industry and academia to thrive in the future.
