An outstanding guide to the new 'fourth mission' of universities: expanding science and engineering for the sake of economic growth. Geiger and Sa give a one-book bird's-eye view of the much-praised and much-criticized programs (and new layers of administration) aimed at encouraging patents, technology transfer, company spin-offs, and corporate partnerships. They see potential in this 'fourth mission,' but warn its boosters just how difficult it is to make real money from academic research.

For most universities today, is a fact of life that they have to co-operate closely with industry and be "econmically relevant." In Tapping the Riches of Science, Roger Geiger and Creso Sá give a thorough review of the impact of the recent move towards more economic relevance in universities in the U.S. Their analysis, measured and meticulous, has much to inform university policymakers in other countries too, especially the UK.

This is a fascinating...examination of the changing relationships among universities, business, and government in supporting scientific research in the U.S. since the early 1980s...[The authors] provide an excellent discussion of how economic relevance has become a central element in the mission of major universities throughout the country. In doing so, [Geiger and Sá] catalog the changes in federal funding, state policy, and university organization that have substantially altered the context for scientific research in the past three decades. The authors are well versed in recent research relevant to their topic and do an excellent job of distilling and summarizing this material in an accessible manner. Anyone involved or interested in higher education management, science policy, or economic development will find much of value here.