RISK MANAGEMENT IN TRANSFERRING THE RESULTS OF UNIVERSITY RESEARCH TO THE REAL SECTOR OF THE ECONOMY

Abstract

In the context of the integration of the Ukrainian scientific and educational space into the
European Research Area (ERA) and the development of the knowledge economy, the issue of effective
commercialization of university developments is gaining strategic importance. The article is devoted to the
study of scientific and methodological approaches to risk management in the process of technology
transfer from higher education institutions (HEIs) to the real sector of the economy. The main problem of
the study is the contradiction between the academic goals of researchers and the commercial
requirements of business, which causes a critically high level of uncertainty at all stages of the life cycle of
scientific and innovative projects.
The methodological basis of the work is the concept of the open innovation model and the Triple
Helix, as well as the international project management standards PMBOK Guide and ISO 31000. To
achieve the goal, the expert assessment method (Delphi) was used to identify sources of uncertainty, the
matrix method for qualitative assessment, and the expected monetary value (EMV) method for
quantitative risk measurement.
In the process of research, the key risks of innovation transfer were classified, which were grouped
into five categories: technological (scaling problems according to technology readiness levels TRL), legal
(protection of intellectual property rights), financial (overcoming the "valley of death"), market (lack of
Product-Market Fit) and academic. A comprehensive matrix of the probability and consequences of risks
was developed with the definition of optimal response strategies (avoidance, transfer, minimization,
acceptance). In addition, a quantitative analysis was conducted on the example of a conditional
commercialization project, which allowed mathematically justifying the formation of a financial reserve for
unforeseen expenses. It is proven that copying corporate management models is ineffective for the
academic ecosystem. The proposed adaptive algorithm, which combines flexible project approaches
(Agile) and risk management tools, allows scientific project managers to proactively identify and eliminate
threats. The practical application of the results will contribute to the successful transformation of HEIs into
entities of the innovative economy, and the implementation of the developed tools in the educational
process will improve the quality of training of masters and PhD candidates