Universities have three core missions: research, teaching and societal impact. The third is increasingly defined in commercial terms. The number of intellectual property licences has increased and more spin-out companies are being formed. This shift is supported by an independent review of spin-out practices1, standardized investment guidance2 and the professionalization of university technology-transfer offices3.
The future of universities
By contrast, academic consulting work, one of the most direct and scalable means by which academics can shape industry, government and civil society, remains underdeveloped (see ‘Consulting gap’).
Consulting work and other routes for exchanging knowledge are often treated as administrative functions. Such activities are defined and measured inconsistently and receive limited recognition in evaluations of research-related innovation. At a time when universities are struggling financially and academic research is often seen as distant from people’s everyday concerns, that must change.
Here, we call for universities to make it easier for academics to carry out consulting work. If the work is properly supported, it can diversify income, build enduring partnerships and ensure that research delivers a tangible impact.
Why consulting work matters
There are widespread benefits to academics offering their advice to outside organizations for a fee. For higher-education institutions, consulting work can provide a flexible stream of income at a time of financial strain. It can foster partnerships with industry and government that generate collaborative research, joint ventures and fresh sources of funding.
It reinforces universities’ reputation as engines of applied knowledge and economic and societal impact. For example, one small software team at the University of Southampton, UK, turned open-source verification tools into more than £600,000 (US$799,000) of consulting income by advising on safety-critical railway systems between 2014 and 2021 (see go.nature.com/44ueoch).
For academics, consulting also offers professional development, wider networks, financial reward and real-world experience. It creates career porosity between academia, industry and policy, opening routes into leadership roles. For example, consulting can underpin the spin-out-company model: an academic who created intellectual property might be engaged as a ‘fractional executive’ through a consulting contract, allowing them to contribute to the company and develop leadership skills. Consulting work also enriches the research culture of higher-education institutions, giving academics direct feedback on how their work is used in practice, informing grant proposals and strengthening career progression.
Sources: Value of consulting market, Office for National Statistics; Academic consulting, IP and spin-out data, Higher Education Statistics Agency
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