Open innovation has emerged as a transformative paradigm redefining how universities, research institutions, and
scholars collaborate to generate, share, and commercialize knowledge. The concept challenges the traditional notion
of closed academic research by promoting permeability between institutional boundaries, fostering collaboration with
industries, startups, and global knowledge networks. In the Indian context, the movement toward open innovation is
deeply linked with government policies such as the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Atal Innovation
Mission, and the Smart India Hackathon, all of which encourage academic institutions to become active participants
in innovation ecosystems. This paper explores the theoretical underpinnings of open innovation in academia, traces
its evolution from industrial innovation models, and contextualizes its relevance in higher education and research.
It emphasizes the structural changes that open innovation introduces in universities—transforming them from
isolated knowledge producers into dynamic hubs of co-creation, incubation, and technology transfer. The abstract
highlights that while open innovation holds immense potential to democratize knowledge and bridge academiaindustry gaps, it simultaneously raises complex challenges regarding intellectual property rights, funding
asymmetries, quality assurance, and cultural readiness among faculty and researchers. The paper’s findings indicate
that open innovation, when embedded in academic culture, can lead to increased interdisciplinary collaboration,
improved research impact, and societal relevance. However, these outcomes are achievable only through policy
coherence, institutional leadership, and strategic frameworks that align incentives with innovation outcomes. The
abstract concludes by asserting that the future of academia depends on how effectively institutions integrate open
innovation principles into teaching, research, and community engagement to build a self-sustaining innovation
ecosystem.