Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
3.3 Boosting Triple Helix Innovation: Role of FAIS
By the way, in the KSRP development, the role of the Kitakyushu Foundation for
the Advancement of Industry and Science and Technology (FAIS) is interesting.
The FAIS aims to contribute to the creation of new businesses and the sophisti-
cation of industrial technologies through encouraging academic research and R&D
based on the industry-government-academia cooperation in Kitakyushu City.
To achieve this aim, the FAIS consists of the executive board, six subordinate
organizations: the Campus Administration Center, the SME Support Center, the
Industry-Academia Cooperation Center, the Semiconductor Technology Center
(the former SoC Design Center), the Car Electronics Center (the former Human
Technology Based Cluster Development Center), and the Bureau for Robot
Development Support (the former Robotics Research Institute).
In terms of policymaking in the initial stage of the KSRP development, the
executive board structure is interesting. In 2001 when the FAIS was established
together with the opening of the KSRP, the executive board consisted of 19
members from the industrial world, academic community, and administration.
14
The president of the executive board was the former minister of Education
15
(MEXT) and the former president of the University of Tokyo. It means that the
FAIS obtained the political negotiation power in the national level through him
and got a chance to synchronize its strategies with national policies such as the
Knowledge Cluster Initiative by MEXT in the initial stage. Moreover, the other
members who are representatives of industrial world, universities, and civil ser-
vants in the locality also contribute to improving the political negotiation power of
the FAIS at the local or region level. The FAIS could improve the practice pos-
sibility of projects based on its network of networks which consists of the vertical
network among nation, region, and locality and the horizontal network among
industry, university, and administration owing to this political negotiation power
of the executive board. In a local city such as Kitakyushu City where resources for
policymaking are relatively limited, it is effective to build the network of networks
in multi-dimension and various fields above-mentioned for concentrating regional
competence.
On the other hand, six subordinate organizations are specialized separately for a
specific role or project. To put it concretely, the Campus Administration Center
carries out operations of the FAIS, administers the common-use facilities, and
promotes collaboration and exchange among universities. The SME Support
Center supports R&D at SMEs by providing research funding and SOHO office,
promoting collaboration projects between industry and academia, and providing
on-site consultation service. The Industry-Academia Cooperation Center supports
improvement
of
local
industries
and
creation
of
new
industries
through
14
In 2011, the executive board of the FAIS consisted of 18 members.
15
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology at present.
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