UNIVERSITY-INDUSTRY COLLABORATIONS IN AFRICA: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF BARRIERS AND CHALLENGES TO SUCCESSFUL ENGAGEMENTS

Abstract

University-Industry collaborations in Africa have been identified as a vital component for economic growth, job creation, driving innovation, and societal development. The study aimed at identifying the barriers and challenges to successful university-industry collaborations in Africa. The study adopted a systematic review method. Following a search of the Google Scholar database and application of the exclusion criteria, 33 relevant articles were selected for an in-depth analysis. The review categorized barriers into Contextual barriers, university-related barriers and industry-related barriers. The study concluded that inadequate resources are a major barrier that affects the ability to implement partnerships, and hampers the trust and confidence of industries in collaborating with universities. Additionally, financial and human resource constraints can affect the ability of SMEs to form partnerships with universities. In addition, the role of governments is crucial in encouraging university-industry collaborations, in keeping with the concept of the Triple Helix model. The government needs to craft policies that encourage firms to collaborate with universities while providing tax incentives to those industries that have such collaborations. Furthermore, the government can enhance the development of university-industry collaboration through a direct role in providing funds for universities and R&D projects and a regulatory role that shapes intellectual property rights. Finally, the service sector and SMEs offer underutilized opportunities for partnerships with universities. Areas of future research were also discussed.