Training Specialists in Technology Linkage as a Policy for Socio-Productive Development

Abstract

In Argentina, the promotion of the science-technology linkage has been part of the public policy agenda since the 1990s. At that time, a regulatory and institutional framework for innovation was created based on the connection between state agencies, universities, and organizations in the socio-productive system. Nowadays, there are successful university-environment linkages in that country, but only a few cases achieve relevant modifications to socio-productive processes. This article analyzes a training program called Technology Manager and Linker, which is a policy implemented by the Argentinian Ministry of Science and Technology to promote the science-technology linkage that has encouraged the creation of graduate degree programs. Adopting a qualitative approach, the authors collected and analyzed regulatory and institutional documentary sources, videos of meetings of graduate technology managers, and interviews with key informants. As a result, they identified gaps between the planning and implementation of innovation and linkage policies that aim to bring together universities and the productive sector. They also identified mismatches between the training proposal and students' profile, as well as limitations in the system to maintain a productive innovation policy in conjunction with universities. In conclusion, the complexity of the processes of creation and dissemination of technological scientific knowledge, according to the needs of the socio-productive environment, places technology linkers as strategic actors of the linking organizations. However, such complexity also demonstrates the limits of their actions and the need to complement the latter with public policies that address the various aspects and stages of the linking process.