Build skills for innovation and technology transfer - ETF expert Jan Peter Ganter De Otero tells us why

“Every innovation policy expert will tell you that universities are the main players, however, by this we mean there are multiple actors, including vocational education organisations, teachers, students and graduates, who need to be considered. Bringing vocational education to this discussion is part of the ETF's core business.”

The ETF is known for vocational education and training (VET) and skills development, but in an increasingly complex world its areas of expertise cannot easily be separated from wider issues such as human capital development and labour market trends. This is also true when it comes to technology transfer and innovation.

The technology transfer endeavour draws on the ETF's experience with smart specialisation, a place-based concept that examines the scientific and innovation assets and resources of particular territories. “We have methodologies that focus on the development of skills and competences among workers and students to improve the capacity for innovation,” says Ganter De Otero.

There are several ways to help countries and companies improve their abilities and capacities to seek and absorb technology transfer opportunities. The first and most obvious would have to be employees and/or consultants who can implement the adoption of new techniques on site.

Before that, it is essential to have those who can identify prospects and facilitate technology adoption. Not only do you need “people who would implement the technologies, but you also need very specialised people to identify which technologies are most necessary and available”, explains Ganter De Otero. This would include, for instance, professionals who understand and promote intellectual property and licensing.

For example, in the Western Balkans, one of the priority regions in which the ETF works, there literally might be just a handful of people who can operate in this realm – as technology transfer officers for an institution, innovation or technology managers for companies, and the like. “These are very specific profiles,” emphasises Ganter De Otero. “You will find a very low number of people employed in these positions. Yet, despite the small number of people employed in these positions, their work is crucial to develop scientific and innovation capacity in the region," he adds.

Perhaps differently than most people might think, they do not come from the same backgrounds. “You don't need to be an engineer to be an innovation manager,” continues Ganter De Otero. “You don't need to be tech savvy. You need to understand how innovation processes work.”

“We don't usually find bachelor degrees in innovation management,” said Ganter De Otero. Instead, qualification involves the upskilling of people of many backgrounds. People from “many different profiles can become innovation managers, or innovation experts”.

To ensure they do not miss out on essential funding to enhance innovation countries, companies, institutions and individuals need to focus on creating the expertise and experts who can make it happen. At the very least, you need people to write the grant proposals. 

The countries of the Western Balkans region tend not to rank high on international measures of innovation and related investment. Yet, there is room for more innovation supporting initiatives such as Horizon and Erasmus+ through what Ganter De Otero calls a “feedback cycle”, whereby more people with the right innovation and technology transfer expertise create the conditions that lead to greater funding.

“We see interest from ETF partner countries about innovation,” he said. “Understanding the importance of public and systematic interventions with a very clear ecosystem perspective including many actors, not only universities and not only companies, is a growing trend across the European continent and beyond.” 

As an agency of the European Union operating within the EU's external relations to enhance human capital development, the ETF's work supports partner countries in the EU's neighbouring regions in their reform efforts. The ETF's work also supports and informs the European Commission's country and regional programming. “We are sharing experience and expertise on EU-led policies like smart specialisation and technology transfer based on the countries' specific needs and requests. This is an area where demand is growing,” concludes Ganter De Otero.

Watch here the ETF event on Innovation and Growth: Technology Transfer in the Western Balkans
Read more: Technology transfer and skills in the Western Balkans: key to growth and innovation | ETF (europa.eu)