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Bridging the Gaps: Redesigning Policies for Sustainable University–Food Industry Collaboration in Iran
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M Bazhan *   , K Khosravi-Darani |
| , marjanbazhan@yahoo.com |
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Abstract: (4 Views) |
Background and Objective: University–industry collaboration is a cornerstone of innovation, job creation, and sustainable economic development in today's world. However, in Iran, particularly in the food industry sector, this interaction remains very weak and unstable. This policy brief aims to analyze the barriers to university–food industry collaboration in Iran and to propose policy solutions to overcome these obstacles.
Methods: This policy brief is derived from a qualitative study involving the participation of 39 academic experts and prominent food industry professionals.
Findings: Four main categories of barriers were identified: "cultural and attitudinal" (mistrust, fear of disclosing trade secrets, differences in core missions); "structural and organizational" (complex bureaucracy, lack of infrastructure, promotion criteria focused on publications rather than applied work); "knowledge and skills" (gap between academic curricula and industry needs); and "economic" (ambiguity over intellectual property rights, unrealistic financial expectations). In response, five policy packages are proposed: strengthening a culture of interaction, developing shared infrastructure, empowering human resources, making research more applied, and reforming laws and regulations.
Conclusion: The simultaneous implementation of these policy packages can help bridge the gap between universities and the food industry, thereby contributing to production prosperity and food security in the country. |
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| Keywords: University, food industry, sustainable interaction, policy solutions |
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Full-Text [PDF 763 kb]
(5 Downloads)
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Article type: Brief Policy |
Subject:
Food Science
Received: 2026/05/28 | Accepted: 2026/01/30
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