[ItsMonkk]

This aligns the incentives. Education provides positive externalities that the market will not provide.

> allow companies to direct the research towards their ends

So long as they hit the requirements to reward the prize, I don't much care what else the students are driven to do. One might ask how does this differ from when a company hires a fresh graduate? In fact, I wouldn't mind also applying this system to those that have degrees, and are trying to advance in their careers.

My only concern is that the students would then be able to be hire-able by other companies in their field. If that answer is mostly yes, the system is working as intended. If it's not, the requirements would be raised until they are.

[piloto_ciego]

Meh, I don't think this is the right incentives we want to be pushing. Hire-ability shouldn't be what education is about...

[ItsMonkk]

Keep in mind that this allows, and protects, the academic channel to do their own thing. Right now they are pulled by those that don't care about academia because they want a job and know having the credential is how they get it.

If we begin doing this, and as a result, none of the academics can get a job as they are all filled by the 'embedded' students, I don't mind seeing how that shifts everything.