Knowledge Transfer in Golestan University of Medical Sciences Projects in 2005- 2007

In spite of prominent growth in scientific publications in Iran in the past two decades, studies performed in Iran shows that we have a big gap between knowledge production and knowledge transfer. Thus, the present study was performed to evaluate the rate of knowledge transfer in Golestan University of Medical Sciences.

The samples were all Research projects of Golestan University of Medical Sciences during 2005- 2007 which had been finished by the time of this study (the second half of 2009) and their reports had been present. Data gathering form consisted of checklists of projects and a questionnaire for the researchers.

Review of 102 research proposals showed that the total cost of the projects was a little more than 3 billion Iranian Rials. Among these projects, only 6 cases (5.8%) had considered costs for research-based knowledge transfer. Clinical sciences’ and health system research’s researchers stated their passive activities of knowledge transfer to be more in the field of publishing articles, but in the basic sciences it was more in the field of presentations in congresses or seminars. The mean score of the researcher's performance in 'active' activities was 9% of the total score attainable.

Results of this study show that costs considered for knowledge transfer activity was low, which means that researcher in this field need motivation and education in the field of knowledge transfer.