Abstract for: A System Dynamics Model for Higher Education Technology Transfer Analysis

The acknowledgement of innovation as a key driver for economic development has become evident as nations rush to equip their societies with the innovative capacity required to remain competitive. In the case of many developing countries, the relative role and weighting of university-government-industry relations places an added stress on governments to cope with innovation before becoming a bottleneck to development, as well as on academia as the core knowledge-producing agent within the economy. This paper explores Saudi Arabia’s higher education system as a core knowledge-producing agent in its contribution to the broader economy through technology transfer. The paper also explores the added complexity higher education R&D policy presents at the micro-level of research production.