BSU pushes commercialization of researches to solve problems

By Susan C. Aro

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Research studies of Benguet State University here will not just land in archives or book shelves but will find their way out to markets soon.

BSU president Feliciano  Calora Jr.  bared this saying commercialization may eventually be the focus of researches among state colleges and universities in the Cordillera as income generation venture.

Commercialization is the trend among top international institutions doing researches translating research studies into income generating venture,  Calora  told   research presenters and representatives of academic institutions in the 6th Highland Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium and Cordillera Industry and Energy Research and Development Consortium  Joint Regional Symposium  held recently  at the Agricultural Training Institute -CAR.

Calora said research conducted by their institution in the past 20-30 years were donor-driven with funding provided by multi-national companies.

Researches, he said, were conducted based on the information funding agencies need and to comply with the requirement of conducting research in the college or the university. 

It is high time for state colleges and universities to be socially relevant in the conduct of researches addressing existing problems in their respective communities, Calora said.

                   It is not necessarily solving problems but how institutions can help reduce the impacts of significant issues and problems, he added.

Calora said the type of research BSU may focus on will be applied research to align with the innovation cycle from invention or disclosure to assessment, intellectual property, marketing, licensing, commercialization, and revenue generation. 

Applied research is basically identifying what the problems are and the solutions and interventions that work.

Calora assured that BSU will always be open for collaboration and part of the initiative and advocacy will be to capacitate the researchers of the Cordillera.