Unit of Measurement Technology (MITY) - University of Oulu, as regional specilisation infrastructure
Published on 01 February 2018
Finland
Etelä-Suomi
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
PROBLEM SOLVED: The problem solved is industrial valorisation of the berry ingredients in traditional and emerging applications.
ACHIEVING RESULTS: MITY (part of the metrology consortium, former CEMIS-Oulu) is a long term established operator in Kainuu, participating in various development actions. Business-to-research needs are addressed proactively from the business side & mutually when new types of measurements and certification needs come up; research-to-business opportunities are valorised proactively by both researchers and (usually) larger industries with R&D competences and established markets beyond Kainuu. Once a new berry-ingredients-quality is identified, researchers contact businesses proactively and discuss the possibility of a joint project towards a prototype, and actions proceed thereof. The MITY unit "secret" is that it includes scientists with inter-disciplinary competences (e.g. chemistry x industry) and, correspondingly, allowing to appreciate research potential applications in the respective industries.
STAKEHOLDERS: Operator: MITY (measurement unit) of the University of Oulu; Oulu University has concentrated its Kainuu-based technology research and development operations in CEMIS since 2010. REGIONAL ORCHESTRATION: One of the main founders of CEMIS is the Regional Council of Kainuu. This was done as a way to encounter the radical change the resulted the delocalisation of the paper industry in 2008.
ACHIEVING RESULTS: MITY (part of the metrology consortium, former CEMIS-Oulu) is a long term established operator in Kainuu, participating in various development actions. Business-to-research needs are addressed proactively from the business side & mutually when new types of measurements and certification needs come up; research-to-business opportunities are valorised proactively by both researchers and (usually) larger industries with R&D competences and established markets beyond Kainuu. Once a new berry-ingredients-quality is identified, researchers contact businesses proactively and discuss the possibility of a joint project towards a prototype, and actions proceed thereof. The MITY unit "secret" is that it includes scientists with inter-disciplinary competences (e.g. chemistry x industry) and, correspondingly, allowing to appreciate research potential applications in the respective industries.
STAKEHOLDERS: Operator: MITY (measurement unit) of the University of Oulu; Oulu University has concentrated its Kainuu-based technology research and development operations in CEMIS since 2010. REGIONAL ORCHESTRATION: One of the main founders of CEMIS is the Regional Council of Kainuu. This was done as a way to encounter the radical change the resulted the delocalisation of the paper industry in 2008.
Resources needed
1) OPERATIONAL FUNDING (internal costs): East and North Finland ERDF program (funding authority Regional Council of Kainuu).
2) RESEARCH APPLICATION FUNDING: MITY covers ~85 % of its funding externally, through project funding soruces (ESIF, TEKES, H2020, FP7,...).
2) RESEARCH APPLICATION FUNDING: MITY covers ~85 % of its funding externally, through project funding soruces (ESIF, TEKES, H2020, FP7,...).
Evidence of success
1) Berry products: method to prepare lingonberry concentrate for use in cosmetics. Work was performed together with Finnish cosmetics company Lumene. The method was later patented (the patent includes some researchers as a co-authors)
2) 2016n on-line metal analyzer via a startup -company MeoLine (MITY spin off)
3) Number of innovation disclosures made by MITY (a personnel of ~40) was the third highest in the University of Oulu
2) 2016n on-line metal analyzer via a startup -company MeoLine (MITY spin off)
3) Number of innovation disclosures made by MITY (a personnel of ~40) was the third highest in the University of Oulu
Potential for learning or transfer
OVERALL: MITY research activities and development projects are of international relevance. The good practice contributes to access research services especially for compliance measurements, and strengthens the regional innovation chain -especially from the point of view of prototype development.
TRANSFER READINESS: The good practice is readily transferable to other contexts. The focus has been on methodological aspects that turn MITY into a regional (and beyond) crucial specialisation actor. FINDINGS: 1) Proactiveness and interdisciplinarity: from the relevant regional innovation system actors (the research institution, businesses, and business intermediaries); 2) Absorptiveness capacity: businesses must be on levels ensuring research absoprtiveness capacity (BERD indicator).
CONTACT PERSONS: 1) Pekka Kilpeläinen, [email protected]; 2)Jouni Ponnikas, [email protected]
TRANSFER READINESS: The good practice is readily transferable to other contexts. The focus has been on methodological aspects that turn MITY into a regional (and beyond) crucial specialisation actor. FINDINGS: 1) Proactiveness and interdisciplinarity: from the relevant regional innovation system actors (the research institution, businesses, and business intermediaries); 2) Absorptiveness capacity: businesses must be on levels ensuring research absoprtiveness capacity (BERD indicator).
CONTACT PERSONS: 1) Pekka Kilpeläinen, [email protected]; 2)Jouni Ponnikas, [email protected]
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
University of Oulu
Finland
Pohjois- ja Itä-Suomi
Contact
Senior project manager