How does R&D collaboration shape the patent quality of universities?
摘要
Major innovation economies have issued varied policies to promote cross-organization research and development (R&D) collaboration. This study examines the impact of R&D collaboration on the quality of university patents, measured by economic lifespan and forward citations. We also distinguish between two types of R&D collaboration partnerships: R&D collaboration between universities, and university–industry collaborations. Using panel data from 803 undergraduate universities between 2006 and 2018, we reveal that R&D collaborations significantly enhance the patent quality of Chinese universities. Moreover, different types of collaboration vary in effectiveness, with university–industry collaborations particularly boosting economic value and inter-university collaborations mainly reinforcing the technical value of patents. We also find that the positive effects of R&D collaboration are more pronounced in universities with weaker academic ability, indicating the potential direction of knowledge spillover. Furthermore, the effects vary across academic disciplines. In summary, this study clarifies our understanding of the crucial role of strategic collaborations in university patenting, with implications for policymakers and university administrators.