HOW HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTES CAN STIR UP THEIR PEOPLE'S APPRECIATION AND INTERESTS TO CARRY OUT R&D ACTIVITIES Ronaldo Q. Dominguez Supervising SRS, ITDD-PCIERD Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) have four main functions, namely: Education, Extension, Production and R&D. By and large, most HEIs have already established their own respective strengths in the first three functions. They could readily account great strides and boast of meaningful achievements under said functions. With respect to R&D, however, many HEIs have yet to establish significant marks. HEIs, in general, need to fast track their R&D for a more balanced fulfillment of their four main functions. The Issue: Attracting Interest in R&D For R&D, the foremost issue that confronts many HEIs, specially the new ones, is on how to arouse their people's interests to do R&D. Most often, they know for a fact that their capabilities and expertise matches many R&D opportunities. HEIs recognize also that there are many opportunities for them in the realm of R&D. Thus, most HEIs believe that if they just could strongly stimulate or power up their people's interest to do R&D, they too will be able to produce notable R&D achievements like some of the more distinguished HEIs. This brings to fore the issue "What are the enabling ingredients that can start, spur, revive, bankroll, intensify or empower their people's interest in R&D? What is the elusive recipe? How can they incite a collective interest in R&D, one that will eventually evolve into an institutional R&D culture? This article presents but a few modest suggestions. Some Enabling Ingredients There are actually many ways. The first of these is for the HEIs to invite good inspirational speakers to talk about the whole gamut of advantages and gains that one can earn from an active R&D career. The speaker should be able to detail all the advantages and benefits. Better yet, HEIs should invite two really good speakers. One to speak from a researcher's point of view and experience. The other speaker can be asked to dwell on his/her observations, experience and analyses relating to the benefits associated with the careers of research personnel. HEIs need to carefully select speakers. It is better to have speakers who can show their care and concern than one who can deliver the most outstanding lectures One option (biased) for HEIs is to possibly consider speakers from funding agencies scouting for good R&D projects Another option is to invite speakers from agencies doing R&D (or S&T) promotions or giving R&D awards. Still another option is to have low key but topnotch scientist-speakers from the academic community. The Qualities of Motivators Overall, it is suggested that the main criterion in the choice of inspirational speakers is to find those who have seen, dealt with, evaluated and monitored many types of research projects and at the same time well-versed about the perks and fringed benefits associated with a research career. At what expense? Aside from internal logistics, HEIs may just be able to manage these engagements with little more than a certificate of appearance or token(s) of appreciation. Carrots of Inducements Perhaps the most important scheme for intensifying appreciation and interests in R&D is for HEIs to provide their technical people as much R&D and S&T exposure as possible. They need to expose them to the many forms of scientific activities. To be able to do this, HEIs first need to devote valuable attention and efforts in keeping track of what is going on in the scientific community. There is no shortage of annual scientific events, technical symposia, trade exhibits and special S&T related activities held each year. There are also many non-regular scheduled scientific seminars and fora organized by different agencies, associations and groups. Some research institutions even reserve a day or two for open viewing of their laboratories and facilities. Some with guided tours and snacks too during such scheduled "open house". This is particularly done by the DOST attached RDIs. These activities, to say the least, are concerned with multifarious fields of technical disciplines. By taking part in these functions, HEIs will have the golden opportunities to broaden their outlook, open up new horizons to pursue and identify R&D (or S&T) areas where they can affix their attention. HEIs therefore need to make special arrangements for their people's possible participation in all these cornucopia of activities. Exposure will allow SCU's R&D personnel to keep abreast with changing research trends and priorities. These will specially allow them personal interactions with R&D funding agencies and evaluate their funding schemes. Their interactions with various scientists, technologists and researchers can present them with new insights, new ideas and opportunities for R&D. Further, the prospects of exploring possible avenues of collaboration with established researchers is readily one of the many attendant benefits. In all of these, it is suggested that HEIs grant more favor to the participation of their technical people than its administrative personnel. R&D Strategic Alliances and Collaborations as Modus operandi There are indeed many more ways to intensify or empower people's interest in R&D. HEIs definitely can cook up so many schemes. Nonetheless, one given emphasis in this article are these facts: We have heard of two cities entering into a pact as "sister cities". We have read about this and that company forming partnership for R&D program initiatives. We are fully aware of a consortium of companies for constructing infrastructure projects, including tourism related project development. We have even marveled at unlikely agreements entered into by rival companies to do R&Dand product development. We have seen alliances forged to wage "war on crime" and alliances waging war on "weapons of mass destruction". These are many alliances, association and collaboration agreements entered into by and between industry, government, academe and interest groups. HEIs can therefore take a cue from such alliances. HEIs can benefit much by entering into strategic affiliations and collaborative alliances with other institutions. Alliances should be on mutually advantageous terms, one that will support their own R&D agenda as much as their partner's. It is hereby underscored that the subject of these alliances should first draw upon the interests of their technical personnel. What better way to induce their people's interests and proficiency in R&D than to give priority to their fields of interests? By forging alliances with established R&D institutions, HEIs' personnel can work side by side with the more experienced researchers and scientists. One learns best from the masters, so to speak. The important thing is that HEIs are laying the ground work for casting vigor, new ideas and methods of R&D. Further, their personnel can earn co-authorship for programs and projects undertaken; either as principal author or an associate author. These increases credibility and confidence, prestige included. Whatever one wish to call these alliances, be it "Collaboration Agreement", "Memorandum of R&D Partnership" or "R&D Compact", its nature and message are simple. The nature is that each party to the collaboration agreement offers something that will mutually benefit all the parties involved. This is the basic premise. The message or challenge for HEIs is to explore the nature, subject and content of prospective collaboration. For reference to possible HEIs' contribution and or inputs, HEIs may refer back to the author's previous article entitled "The R&D Advantages of SCUs Over the Research and Development Institutes of the DOST". Said article is just one of the many references. Trial by Immersion: Proceed with Confidence HEIs should by now realize that they have much to offer for collaborative R&D undertakings. Identifying these should not even be a problem. The problem is that most HEIs still have not taken advantage of their strengths and inherent advantages on R&D opportunities. Perhaps contemplating for strategic collaboration will force them to do so now. ------ end ---