AURP, Battelle Release Study on Trends of Research Parks

The establishment and maintenance of research parks has been a strategy for many organizations to strengthen TBED within their regions. This strategy continues to grow, as announcements for new research parks and the expansion of established ones take place all over the U.S. and Canada. But looking at these research parks in aggregate, what can we learn about them? And what can current developments tell us about the design of research parks in the future?

 

A study released at this year’s Association of University Research Parks (AURP) National Conference in St. Louis sheds light on these questions. Prepared by Battelle Technology Partnership Practice in partnership with AURP, Characteristics and Trends in North American Research Parks: 21st Century Directions states about 300,000 people work in research parks, with the parks occupying a combined 124 million sq. ft. in 1,833 buildings.

 

Looking deeper into the traits of these parks, the report finds 80 percent of research park workers are employed in the private sector, compared to 11 percent working for colleges and universities, 6 percent for government, and the remaining 3 percent for on-site support services and amenities. Additionally, 60 percent of research parks are located in suburban areas and 60 percent reported a greater emphasis in international partnerships in recent years.

 

The co-location of one or more business incubators within a research park to house university spin-offs and other start-up companies was reported by 68 percent of the parks. For the companies that graduated from these incubators, the study found 39 percent leave the park and stay in the community and 23 percent remain in the park, compared to 10 percent that leave the region.

 

But, the study contends, today’s research parks have evolved considerably from what were mostly real estate development projects in the 1960s and 1970s and will continue to change substantially in the years to come. Earlier parks were marketed to attract large technology-based companies, many of which had few ties to a university. As the research parks became more established, they sought to build stronger R&D relationships, often aligning with the focus of the existing companies within the parks. In time, the inclusion of incubation programs and multitenant buildings to house smaller firms became more common.

 

More recently, the partnerships between universities and research parks are strengthening. When asked about the primary reason to move to a research park, 85 percent of park directors reported that access to a highly skilled workforce, including students, was important to tenants. Research parks are focusing more often into particular niche areas, with new firm support services becoming increasingly important. Additionally, sharing core facilities, utilizing technology transfer offices, and developing internships and co-op experiences are drawing universities and industry closer together.

 

What characteristics will the research parks of the future have?

 

The study believes a new model is emerging, centered on planned mixed-use campus expansions that include space for both university and industrial usage. These spaces will be designed to encourage the exchange of interaction of academic and industry researchers, with substantial space for further growth and housing and other amenities that are attractive to faculty, postdocs, and graduate students. Other future trends include:

• Leveraging the assets of non-university organizations such as national laboratories;
• More emphasis on sustainability as a design principle;
• Increased international partnerships;
• Incorporating research parks in urban areas as components of neighborhood revitalization plans; and,
• Providing more on-site amenities such as hotels, retail shops, housing, banking services, childcare, and grocery stores.

The report also contains thoughts on the challenges and opportunities research parks will experience, budgetary and economic impact analyses, and detailed information about the variety of R&D sectors that are represented within these parks. It can be accessed at: http://www.aurp.net/more/pr102607.cfm