Centre of excellence

Centre of Excellence (COE) is a single cell or a complex organizational structure, whose primary responsibility is research and development of new technologies at the highest level. The main objective of these development projects are measurable academic results. Centre of Excellence recruits scientists with significant research accomplishments. They are designed so groups working together around common areas of importance to the economy of the country, conduct joint research projects. They cooperate with industry, and conduct training and educational activities.

COEs are commonly referred to as "laboratories without walls". Their flexible organizational structure and extensive research facilities enable:

• effective use of accumulated knowledge in a variety of institutions,
• effective control measures and
• efficient implementation of research results.

Expected results of Centre of Excellence

Results of COE activity include:

• technological innovations,
• increased promotion of scientific research,
• new technologies and products.

These activities help to improve the competitiveness of national economy in the international markets.

COEs should be organizationally independent. The core team should consist of respected scientific research organization (it may be, for example Departments of Sciences, universities or other research and development organizations).

Goals and scientific activities

Outputs of Centre of Excellence

Centres of Excellence idea does not include creation of new research organizations. It is rather a kind of "laboratory" which is actively cooperating with industry or other users of research results. The COE business plan includes projects in the sector of fundamental science and practical innovation. Group members and research facilities are tailored to specific projects. The main source of funding for CEs are usually institutions that control the country's science policy.

==Evaluation of Centre of Excellence The measure of quality of research and development of Centres of Excellence are:

• scientific publications,
• patents,
• employment opportunities offered to researchers,
• the number of its own scientific staff and visiting researchers,
• the number and value of commercial contracts,
• number of spin-off,
• participation in the European education system.

Examples of Centre of excellence

• The National Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence (NCEAI) in Canada is an organization dedicated to advancing research and development in the field of AI. The NCEAI works in partnership with universities, industry, and government to develop and promote AI technologies. It provides research funding and technology transfer opportunities, as well as educational programs and workshops.
• The Centre of Excellence in Wireless Technology (CEWT) in the United Kingdom is a research centre established by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to develop and promote wireless technology. The CEWT works in collaboration with universities, research institutions, and industry to develop and commercialize wireless technologies, such as cellular networks and wireless data communications.
• The Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Energy (CESE) in India is an initiative by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to develop and promote sustainable energy technologies. The CESE works with universities, research centres, and industry to develop and promote renewable energy technologies, such as solar and wind energy. It also provides educational and training programs, and carries out research and development activities.

Advantages of Centre of excellence

A Centre of Excellence (COE) has many advantages. It provides an effective way to research and develop new technologies, while also providing measurable academic results. Moreover, it allows for collaboration between industry and academia, leading to a better understanding of the economy of the country. Furthermore, the following advantages can be identified:

• COE has the ability to draw in scientists with significant research accomplishments, thus creating an environment where the most talented individuals can work together for a common goal.
• It enables cooperation between public and private sector, thus allowing for the development of innovative solutions.
• It increases the visibility of the research and development conducted, thus leading to opportunities for further funding and recognition.
• It allows for the development of educational activities and training programs, thus providing the opportunity to create a highly qualified workforce.
• It provides a platform for knowledge sharing and transfer, thus creating an environment where innovative ideas can be exchanged and where best practices can be implemented.

Limitations of Centre of excellence

Centres of Excellence have many limitations. These include:

• Lack of resources: Centres of Excellence often lack the necessary resources to properly conduct their research and development activities. They may not have the budget for the latest equipment and technologies, or the personnel to operate them.
• Limited expertise: Centres of Excellence often rely on a limited number of experts and personnel, who can only provide so much input into the research and development process.
• Difficulty in adapting: As technology and the economy evolve, Centres of Excellence may struggle to keep up and adapt to the changing environment.
• Difficulty in sustaining: Due to the costly nature of running Centres of Excellence, and the ever-changing nature of the research and development process, it can be difficult to sustain the Centre of Excellence.
• Limited collaboration: The lack of collaboration and networking between Centres of Excellence can lead to inefficient research and development efforts.
• Difficulty in measuring success: As there are no specific metrics or standards to measure the success of Centres of Excellence, it can be difficult to determine if they are achieving their goals.

Other approaches related to Centre of excellence

At the beginning, other approaches related to Centre of Excellence include:

• Open Innovation: Open Innovation describes the process of innovation which involves collaboration between companies, universities, research institutes and other parties to create new products and services. Open innovation helps companies to access external sources of knowledge and creative ideas, thus enhancing their competitive advantage.
• Knowledge Management: Knowledge management is the process of capturing, organizing and using knowledge effectively. It is used to create competitive advantage and to support business decisions.
• Collaborative Innovation Networks: Collaborative innovation networks are networks of organizations that collaborate and share resources in order to develop new products and services.
• Design Thinking: Design thinking is an iterative process used to solve complex business problems. The process involves understanding customer needs, developing creative solutions, and then testing and refining the solutions.

In summary, other approaches related to Centre of Excellence include Open Innovation, Knowledge Management, Collaborative Innovation Networks and Design Thinking. These approaches are used to create competitive advantage and to support business decisions.

Centre of excellence — recommended articles

Innovative systems — Knowledge management strategy — Innovation and change — Knowledge gap strategy — Chief innovation officer — Educational innovations — Transfer of knowledge — Design capacity — Network structure

References

• Tips on building Centre of Excellence
• Paim R, Nunes V, Pinho B, Santoro F, Cappelli C, Baino FA (2009) Structuring a process management center of excellence, Proceedings of the 2009 ACM symposium on Applied Computing
• Leandro J, Macieira A, Karrer D, Caulliaraux H (2014), BPM Center of Excellence: The Case of a Brazilian Company, Handbook on Business Process Management

Author: Agnieszka Litewka