Nivel de madurez de los proyectos de investigación en la Universidad de Cuenca

Abstract

The objective of this research project is to measure the maturity level of the research projects of the University of Cuenca in order to analyze whether the projects are ready to be successfully transferred to society. It is based on the Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) with four different approaches: the TRL Calculator Approach, the Approach based on the NBR ISO 16290, the Percentual Approach, and the Approach by weights. Two instruments were elaborated and applied to fifty-five projects selected by an intentional no probabilistic sampling. The first instrument was addressed to technical projects, while the second one was focused on social ones. The parameters treated as variables are technological components, available resources, and business model. The proposed model allows the inclusion of the project manager's vision, analysis variables and the definition of the essential activities to overcome maturity levels. These factors lead to a comparison and comprehensive analysis of the reliable measurement maturity level approaches of the research projects from University of Cuenca that can be successfully transferred to society. In general, it was possible to show that the research projects of this Higher Education Institutions (HEI) are in the category of academic spin-off with test technology, i. e. their projects are in the process of research and development of the new technology to be used and carrying out the first experimental and concept tests. These projects are classified between TRL 1 to TRL 3.