Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Private sector urged to use CRIs and universities

Updated at 10:24 am on 20 July 2011

The private sector is being urged to take greater advantage of the country's major research and development providers, the Crown Research Institutes, and universities.

It's been more than one year since a taskforce recommended greater collaboration between the mainly public sector bodies and the private sector.

The various institutes are becoming more commercially-minded, including hiring out scientists, and providing vouchers that firms can use to work with selected research bodies to fund projects.

Taskforce chairman Neville Jordan says the institutes are now better at providing science and technology that can help New Zealand industry.

He says that CRIs need to understand they must to deliver science and technology which can help New Zealand industry.

Mr Jordan says universities and CRIs are pivotal to this country's economic recovery and could be better used to propel the recovery.

Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand