Nournews: University–industry collaboration is widely regarded as one of the most important indicators of a country's innovation capacity. The index measures the extent to which academic institutions cooperate with businesses in research and development (R&D), technology generation, industrial problem-solving, and the commercialization of knowledge. According to the latest data released by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) for 2024, Iran scored 17.4 out of 100, placing 117th worldwide. The ranking reflects a significant disconnect between the country's scientific capabilities and its ability to translate those capabilities into industrial and economic value.
A review of the global rankings shows that Switzerland, with a score of 76.4, ranks second in the world and stands as one of the most successful examples of integrating academia, industry, and innovation. It is followed by Norway with 73.1 points in third, the United States with 72.6 points in fourth, and Singapore with 67.9 points in seventh. These countries have spent decades building extensive collaboration networks among universities, research institutions, and major corporations, enabling a seamless transition from scientific research to technological commercialization.
Further down the list, Qatar ranks 10th with 65.4 points, China is 11th with 65.2, the United Kingdom is 12th with 65.0, and Indonesia is 13th with 64.7. Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates ranks 21st with 59.0 points, Japan is 26th with 56.9, and Oman is 29th with 56.0. These figures indicate that several countries in the region have succeeded in establishing stronger and more effective links between universities and industry.
Iran also lags behind many countries in the lower half of the rankings. Russia ranks 73rd with 33.8 points, Greece is 107th with 21.8, and Armenia ranks 116th with 17.9. Iran, with 17.4 points, stands just one place below Armenia at 117th. Behind Iran are Kuwait, ranked 125th with 13.1 points, Nigeria at 128th with 10.0, Paraguay at 130th with 8.9, and Nicaragua, ranked 132nd with roughly 1 point.
Importantly, this indicator does not measure the number of scientific publications or research papers alone. Instead, it evaluates the quality and depth of collaboration between universities and industry, including joint research projects, private-sector investment in R&D, patent generation, technology development, commercialization of research outcomes, and the transformation of academic ideas into marketable products and services. As a result, a country may perform well in scientific publishing while still receiving a low score if it fails to transfer research into practical technological and economic outcomes.
The experience of leading economies suggests that success in this area rests on several key pillars: sustained investment in research and development, jointly defined university–industry projects, a vibrant ecosystem of knowledge-based companies, effective support for commercializing research achievements, tax incentives for innovation, and strong private-sector participation in research funding. As long as academic research remains disconnected from the real needs of industry—and industry continues to underinvest in R&D—the gap between scientific output and economic value creation will persist. Iran's 117th-place ranking is therefore more than just a statistic; it is a warning that the country's mechanisms linking universities, industry, and the knowledge-based economy require fundamental reassessment.