Using experimentation to boost university–industry collaboration

The ATTRACT NEXT project examined the potential of experimentation – particularly the use of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) – to enhance university–industry collaboration, a policy field in which such methods have been underutilized to date. This project has led to the development of a Handbook on Experiments in University–Industry Collaboration, which identifies critical challenges in university–industry collaborations and proposes testable experimental ideas for interventions. A learning and support programme, the University–Industry Impact Accelerator, then facilitated the design and piloting of three experimental interventions addressing motivation, capacity-building, and relationship development between researchers and businesses. The results indicate that structured experimentation can yield actionable insights, improve engagement strategies, and optimize programme effectiveness. The NEXT initiative has demonstrated the feasibility and value of embedding experimentation within university–industry collaborations, aiming to foster more robust, evidence-based policy-making and programme implementation in the policy space.