Open innovation laboratory in electrical energy education based on the knowledge economy

Abstract

Electrical energy systems are facing significant challenges as climate changes, and electric energy demands increasingly affect the quality of electrical energy. Since electrical energy impacts social and technological conditions, the economy and energy are strongly related. Smart electric grids, in particular, require new technologies, products, and skilled human resources. However, innovation in electrical systems has been marginal, and skilled human resources are difficult to secure. As a result, several open innovation laboratories have been created to promote open technology and entrepreneurship among engineering students, who often run the laboratories under the guidance of faculty advisors. Such laboratories frequently organize seminars, workshops, hackathons, and meetups; however, they largely fail to produce many marketable products, often due to a lack of collaboration with other innovative facilities and firms. To improve the quality of services in open innovation laboratories, the connection between firms and universities must be appropriately defined and developed. To address this problem, this paper proposes a novel concept for an open innovation laboratory based on the overlapping of four innovation facilities that is capable of changing according to product requirements. This new concept will improve students’ innovation and learning processes and promote positive relationships between universities and firms. Also, this paper provides new insights into open innovation laboratories that can enhance the quality of the innovations produced by universities. Finally, it presents case studies developed at Tecnologico de Monterrey to validate the open innovation laboratory concept as an influential concept for developing products.

A Systematic Literature Review on University Collaboration in Open Innovation: Trends, Technologies, and Frameworks

“…The aim of collaborating (Baban, Baban and Rangone, 2021b); (Băban and Băban, 2022); (Ponce, Polasko and Molina, 2021); (Rostoka, Locovs and Gaile-Sarkane, 2019)…”

“…Levels of Collaboration (Johnston, 2021); (Baban, Baban and Rangone, 2021b) (Băban and Băban, 2022); (Băban, Băban and Mitran, 2023); (Johnston, 2022); ; (Zhao, 2023); (Han et al, 2019); (Ponce, Polasko and Molina, 2021); (Rostoka, Locovs and Gaile-Sarkane, 2019); (Audretsch et al, 2023); (Tomita, 2022); (Koria et al, 2022); (de Araujo et al, 2020); (Huggins, Prokop and Thompson, 2020); (Campana et al, 2020) Policy Open innovation policy (Baban, Baban and Rangone, 2021b); (Johnston, 2022); (Szromek et al, 2023); (de Araujo et al, 2020) 6 Performance Patents/Intellect ual Property Rights…”

“…One of the results of the open innovation process (Johnston, 2021); (Zhao, 2023); (Han et al, 2019); (Ponce, Polasko and Molina, 2021); (Tomita, 2022) 7…”

Design Framework Based on TEC21 Educational Model and Education 4.0 Implemented in a Capstone Project: A Case Study of an Electric Vehicle Suspension System

“…It aims to improve its students' competitiveness in different professional fields through comprehensive training and active-learning activities performed collaboratively with partners in the productive sector to develop entrepreneurship, leadership, and innovation competencies. The specific spaces designed for the collaborative and multidisciplinary work among students include the libraries, the Learning Commons, the InnovAction Gym, Labs, and various Active Learning classrooms [30].…”

A Gamified HMI as a Response for Implementing a Smart-Sustainable University Campus

“…Besides, smart education is a crucial element in smart city development [9]. In that sense, universities as Tecnologico de Monterrey support smart education through novel learning methods, including open innovation laboratories for knowledge transference [12], for instance, for electrical energy education [15]. 25% of the total electric consumption comes from cooling in an educational facility [7].…”