1. COLLABORATIONS AND PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Dr. E. Ann Nalley
Department of Physical Sciences
Cameron University

2. Objectives of Collaborations and Partnerships
To bring groups together under a central theme. The multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary groups may be different academic units within a college, different colleges within an institution or different institutions, industries or community based organizations .
To establish a cohesive group that allows individual units or individual partners to contribute to the principal theme

3. What is collaboration? Col·lab·o·rate
to work jointly especially with one or a limited number of others in a project involving composition or research to be jointly accredited
Wagner identifies possible drivers for collaboration as: sharing ideas, cooperating around equipment, cooperating around resources, and exchanging data
Source: Wagner, C. 2005, Scientometrics 62(1): 3-26.

4. Why Do We Choose To Collaborate
A requirement of the Grant RFP
It strengthens a proposal
A partner may add expertise not available to the PI
May provide you with research and funding opportunities not available through other channels
Helps you to advance professionally
Valuable in resources, creativity, results
May accomplish more together than any partner could alone
Win Win: for partners and for funding agency (some
funding agencies require it

5. Possible Collaborative Partners
Colleagues – Same Area or Interdisciplinary
College/University Departments
Local Education Agencies
State Department of Education, State Agencies, i.e. OCAST
Business and Industry
Faith-Based Organizations, i.e. Churches
Community Based Organizations, i.e. Chamber of Commerce, Scouts
Other Colleges/Universities

6. Questions to Ask When Building Collaborations
What is the target area we will serve for a proposal?
Is a partner needed to strengthen the proposal?
Seek out collaborate partners
Make sure you include representatives from all boundaries of the target area.

7. What is the makeup of the target area?
Effective collaborations engage institutional, civic, and natural leaders who reflect the demographic diversity of the target area.
Make sure you select people who can organize people from their identity group and not just be the “gatekeepers”.
Ask questions and find the names of real leaders in the target area.

8. Partnerships
An association or a combination, as of persons, organizations or institutions, for the purpose of engaging in a joint venture. Resource: National College Access Network (NCAN)

9. ISSUES TO CONSIDER IN FORMING PARTNERSHIPS
What are the benefits to the University or Universities?
What are the benefits to the industry?
Does your institution support the concept of collaborations or partnerships?
MOUs are a part of the partnership
Intellectual Property agreements
Many Funding agencies support the concept of collaborations and many recommend or require them.
Much of the research you do may be proprietary

10. UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIPS MAY BE
Between units with the institution
Between universities and four year or community colleges
Consortia
Between universities in the state or outside the state

11. After You Choose to Form a Partnership, What Comes Next?

12. Task 1: Formulate Goals What is the issue?
Why is a partnership the best way to address the issue?
What are the relevant assets?
What are the goals?

13. Task 2: Identify Perspective Members of the Partnership
Compile contact information for prospective members.
While prospective members may participate in professional organizations, there may not be an organization that speaks directly to their issues or concerns.
Prospective members may lead to other prospective members.

14. Characteristics of the Team
The leader may be self-selected, appointed or elected.
The leader must be willing to listen, involve the partners and provide leadership in the administration of the collaboration or partnership.
Each member of the collaboration or partnership must have an interest in the theme with documented expertise.

15. Task 3. Establish an organizational structure
What is our mission?
How often do we meet?
Do we have committees?
How will the partners share responsibility for organizing and leading the meetings?
Who prepares and contributes to the agenda?
How will partners handle logistical arrangements?

16. Task 4: Organize Events that Partners Want to Attend
Maintain focus on the relevant issue.
Emphasize research and data-informed practices.
Reflect the diversity of the partnership.
Provide remote locations with two-way video conferencing if available.
Structure the meeting for networking.

17. Task 5: Evaluate
Evaluation of key components provides feedback that enables refinement and redirection.
Evaluation provides a process of continuous improvement.
Evaluating the impact of the consortium helps build a case for sustaining partnership efforts.

18. Partnership Development Some general transferable principles:
Partnerships lead to new projects and new grant proposals.
Partnerships may develop faster because of successful history of partnerships with other entities.
Partnerships take time.
Public/private partnerships must have knowledgeable leaders, experienced participants, strong academicians, and strong decision makers involved all the way.
Resist selecting partners by reaching out to people you already know or reaching out to everyone.

19. Partnership Development Some general transferable principles:
Partnerships must have authority, i.e. president, dean, chair.
Partnerships on paper only are not considered valid – show evidence, i.e. articles, projects.
There will be more financial audits with partners than without.
Corporations want to know why, how, and see creativity now. Will fund R&D, product development.

20. Issues to Consider Where does the funding reside?
There is strength in diversity among academic units
Funding agencies recommend or require it.
Letters of support from administration
More advance planning in preparing a proposal
More coordination in executing the terms of the grant

21. Memorandum of Agreement
State the mission of the partnership
May be formal or informal
Provide a strong communication plan for the partnership
State roles and responsibilities of all partners
Advisory Board membership
Provide a summary statement of sustainability upon completion of the program

22. Partnership Development Some general transferable principles:
Allow enough time to develop partnership.
Begin making contacts prior to establishing a collaboration.
Let them know what is in it for them.
Develops an entrepreneurship attitude among business and industry.
Building of future relationships

23. HOW TO ESTABLISH A RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP
INITIATE A RESEARCH PROJECT WITH STUDENT RESEARCHERS
APPLY FOR FUNDING THROUGH INTERNAL FUNDING
APPLY FOR OUTSIDE FUNDING
PUBLISH OR PRESENT YOUR RESEARCH RESULTS LOCALLY, REGIONALLY AND NATIONALLY

24. OTHER ADVERTISE ON YOUR WEB PAGE START SLOW AND VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME
DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS WITH INDUSTRY WHICH LEAD TO LONG TERM ACTIVITIES
GET THE BLESSING OF YOUR DEPARTMENT CHAIR AND DEAN

25. OCAST ESTABLISHED IN 1987 BY THE OKLAHOMA STATE LEGISLATURE
TO SUPPORT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
TO FACILITATE THE TRANSFER OF NEW TECHNOLOGY RESULTING RESEARCH
FOSTER THE MANUFACTURE AND MARKETING OF THESE INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES

26. THE R&D INTERN PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM
AN EQUAL MATCH OF THE OCAST FUNDS FROM NONSTATE APPROPRIATED FUNDS IS REQUIRED
THE RESEARCH MUST BE PERFORMED IN AN APPLIED RESEARCH LABORATORY
A 2 OR 4-YEAR COLLEGE IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA MUST BE THE FISCAL AGENT
AN OKLAHOMA FIRM MUST BENEFIT

27. OKLAHOMA APPLIED RESEARCH
SUPPORT
R&D INTERN PARTNERSHIP

28. BE PROFESSIONAL PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY SERVICES
REMEMBER YOU CAN’T SOLVE EVERY PROBLEM
BE AVAILABLE WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY ARRIVES
BE COGNIZANT OF LEGAL OBLIGATIONS AND YOU WILL HAVE THEM
REMEMBER YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN BOSS WHEN WORKING WITH INDUSTRY

29. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO YOU
WORK THROUGH YOUR DEVELOPMENT OFFICER OR YOUR DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

30. MY INDUSTRIAL PARTNERS
Stim-Lab
World-Wide Stimulation
Plainsman Technology
Halliburton Energy Services
Temple Inland
Southwest NanoTechnology
Cosmetic Specialty Labs, INC.
Xeta Comp

31. QUESTIONS?
AND
DISCUSSION