L 69/64
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
7.3.2023
(6)
Stable and recurring sets of elements of good practice of research projects dealing with standardisation exist (2).
At the same time, there is a strong potential for raising researchers’ awareness of and know-how about standardisation processes, and for the development of recognised performance indicators to track the success of technology transfer and valorisation activities.
Awareness and know-how could equally be raised regarding how standardisation processes are interrelated to and interacting with research processes and innovation processes.
The successful integration of R&I and standardisation activities can give a significant impetus to the uptake of R&I activities.
(7)
Technology readiness levels (TRLs) and the change therein during the project can be considered important indicators for assessing the relevance and performance of an R&I project in terms of the standardisation activities.
Different TRLs may also imply different needs in terms of standards and standardisation: lower TRLs are typically associated more with work to be done, for example, on terminologies and concepts, metrology and testing, use cases and reference architectures; while later-stage TRLs are typically more concerned with issues such as interoperability and performance (for example, in terms of security, safety, environmental impact and functionality) of the technology/ innovation – hence, standards across all TRLs are important for researchers and innovators across many technology and application domains.
(8)
R&I actors can either lead, follow or adopt new standards in support of the development and international deployment of the latest technologies, innovations and trends.
The earlier R&I actors engage in the standards development process, integrated within their overall R&I process, the sooner they can bring their standardsinformed innovations to competitive global markets, resulting in greater value and rewards.
Hence the leaders get ahead by leveraging their early and active involvement in setting new standards.
During the standards development process, they also obtain valuable technical and market insights to inform their R&I strategy and roadmaps and gain a time-to-market advantage over their competitors due to their early engagement in developing the new standards.
These leaders (including SMEs and start-ups) also gain the opportunity to position and add their own unique product or service innovations on top of the foundational standard that they helped set.
(9)
There is a need to address the skills gap in training and lecturing (3).
It is essential to build a fundamental understanding of the characteristics and relationships between research processes, innovation processes, and standardisation processes and how they can reinforce each other to boost knowledge valorisation (4).
(10)
One of the major issues to be addressed in a Higher Education Institution (HEI) or research organisation policy regarding standards and standardisation for research valorisation is to incentivise the standardisation activities of its researchers and make these activities count towards career development.
(11)
In the Union, Technology Transfer Offices have over the years established themselves in many Higher education institutions and research organisations as service stops not only for handling and filing IP, or supporting start-up creation, but also for providing general support when dealing with contract research and helping to administer collaborative research projects.
Technology transfer organisations are hence another institutional anchor point indicated for supporting standardisation, and their involvement is a logical continuation of their knowledge/ technology transfer role.
In contrast to patents and scientific publications, it seems that the concept of authorship is not widely implemented, making it more difficult to track impact using citation measurement techniques.
(12)
For many R&I projects, involvement in creating a new standard may not be the best or even a feasible option.
At the same time there is great potential from researchers engaging in the early stages of standardisation activities within R&I programmes, where researchers gain important knowledge and networks, while also contributing to the development of key new or improved international and European standards in critical topic areas for industry and society.
(2) Idem (3) As stressed in the stakeholders feedback to the EU Strategy on Standardisation, ‘There is no formal education nor vocational training on standardisation.
Many EU companies – whether large or small – lack a structured and strategic approach to standardisation capturing its relevance for various economic operations, whether it is legal compliance, market access or general business strategy’.
(4) EN ISO 56002:2019 Innovation management – Innovation management system – Guidance