Knowledge transfers between academia and the creative industry

Abstract

Knowledge transfer has, for many years, been a subject of research viewed from many different aspects. Education is one main vehicle to upgrade the knowledge of the workforce and to train students in gaining the ability to transfer that knowledge to their employers. There is growing research on how a successful education gives the students the appropriate knowledge and the ability to transfer. In this study we look at one subfield that so far has gotten limited attention, namely how successful a university level education is in arming students with the knowledge required by the creative industry and the best possible dynamic between university and creative industry. The data material is based on a structured questionnaire to professors, students and professionals from the creative industry in Mid-Norway and we investigate transfer processes between these groups. The most triggering part of the project is the analysis of the degree to which the programs stimulate and develop the student's creative abilities in a way that is consistent with industry needs. Occasionally, professionals from the creative industry claim that university education lowers the creative potential of the student instead of increasing it. Key findings of the results indicate that the university must be better able to balance tacit and explicit transfers to the students so they may carry it forward to the creative firms. Another important discussion is how to match and balance the cultural contexts of the students, the university and the creative industry to reach optimal results.