University-Industry+Relations

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**University-Industry Relations**

Questions - please add comments

 * 1) How can developing and middle income countries creating and sustaining efficient technology acquisition and commercialization relationships between universities, and public research institutes, and industry.
 * 2) What are the barriers to effective university (and public research organization) relations with industry in developing and middle income countries?
 * 3) What can developing and middle income countries learn from the experience of university-industry relations in developed countries?

 There is a large amount of literature on university-industry relations. Our objective here is to answer the three questions and provide practical ways of adopting and adapting knowledge from industry and commercializing technology to industry.

Additional external links
 Report of a Joint Project of the National Council of University Research Administrators and the Industrial Research Institute (USA).  Download the full report from: []
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Guiding Principles for University-Industry Endeavors **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> From the report:

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Guiding Principle # 1: A successful university-industry collaboration should support the mission of each partner. Any effort in conflict with the mission of either partner will ultimately fail.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Guiding Principle # 2: Institutional practices and national resources should focus on fostering appropriate long-term partnerships between universities and industry.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Guiding Principle #3: Universities and industry should focus on the benefits to each party that will result from collaborations by streamlining negotiations to ensure timely conduct of the research and the development of the research findings.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Research and Innovation Issues in University Relations: Background Information Document prepared by the SMEs Division of the World Intellectual Property Organization **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> The report reviews some of the main IP-related issues that need to be addressed by policymakers and institutions when dealing with intellectual property rights within <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> the context of university-industry relations. Sections include:


 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">National Policy Framework
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Institutional Policy Framework
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Establishment of Technology Licensing Offices (TLOs)
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Cultural Gap
 * 5) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Conflict of Interests
 * 6) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Financial Resources
 * 7) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Operational Considerations
 * 8) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Licensing or Spin-off Route

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> The report's conclusion states: "University – industry relations are strongly influenced by the existing national IP policy framework as well as by the patent policy of individual institutions. If an IP policy that encourages technology transfer and commercialization of university research results has proved to be important to establish the right set of incentives, there are a number of institutional issues that need to be addressed to make sure that the “cultural gap”, potential conflict of interests, financial issues and other aspects that may condition the success of TLOs are adequately taken into consideration. If a spread of a patent culture among researchers within universities is advisable in order to facilitate technology transfer and the commercialization of research results, promoting greater use of patent literature could be an important first step to partly bridge the cultural gap. This would be important as it would bring researchers closer to the patent system while at the same time <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> making the “disclosure function” of the patent system more relevant to the research world as a whole."

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">University-Private Sector Research Partnerships in the Innovation Ecosystem: Report of the [US] President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology November 2008. **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> This is a report on the US Innovation Ecosystem, defined as "The dynamic system of interconnected institutions and persons that are necessary to propel technological and economic development."

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> The US experience may not always be an appropriate model for other countries because of extreme differences in resources or stage of development But, many countries do seek to learn from developed countries such as the USA. This report contains some useful lessons for many developing countries. Contents include:

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Overview of Public Private Partnerships (PPP) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> "University-industry research partnerships are an example of a public-private partnership (PPP), which can be defined broadly as an R&D-based relationship involving at least one private firm and at least one publicsector organization that are mutually committed to reaching a common R&D goal by pooling resources and/or <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> coordinating activities."

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> State and Local Trends <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Industry Trends

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Global Nature of the Innovation Ecosystem <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> "Some companies have utilized research partnerships with universities to help drive innovation, either by directly funding research or by co-locating research centers on or near university campuses. .... [T]he core research capabilities of industries are being reduced at the same time as the demand from industry for research that drives more than incremental innovation is increasing. This drives international competition to provide technologies, workforce, and overall research infrastructure. While there may be advantages to forming partnerships in the geographic area where a company maintains its headquarters, there are increased opportunities and incentives to form research partnerships with high-quality universities around the globe."

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Open Innovation <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Outputs of the Innovation Ecosystem and the Current Incentive System <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Patents, Licensing Income, and Start-up Companies: Increased Focus by Universities

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">** Management of i **** ntellectual property in publicly-funded research ** ** organizations ** [|European Commission Expert Group Report 2003]

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">European Institute of Technology (EIT) is established to support and accelerate the knowledge transfer from education and research institutions to industry. It is a good example how EU implement the innovative governance models as a integral part of the strategy to harness the innovation capacity and increase the innovation potential. Its activities are focused on the three main aspect of knowledge triangle: education, research and innovation. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It has been observed that most of the interaction between research and industry is conducted via large enterprises. To change this practice it is very important to encourage the link between research institution and SME, aimed to enable SME to enjoy the benefit from new technology solutions. In order to establish and support this collaboration The Netherlands issued innovation voucher scheme. With innovation vouchers (worth 7500 euros) SME can buy knowledge and strategic consultancy from research institutions. The knowledge supplier can hand in the voucher to the Innovation Agency SenterNovem and receive payment. State aid rules allow supporting such consultancy with public funds.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The collaboration between research organizations and industry should be a part of the long term sustainable strategy and the benefits should be primarily expected as indirect (intangible) asset, than as direct financial asset. They might be related to: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The development of mutual trust between the science and the industry; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The enhancement of research institution research and teaching activities and gaining better understanding of industry specific needs and problems; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Learning how to apply scientific knowledge to solve "real world" problems; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The identification of potential new clients or partners for further collaboration; <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Offering the researchers with entrepreneurial ambitions new career opportunities; Improving the brand name of the research institution as a result of successfully realized projects; Contributing to the better recognition of the benefits from publicly funded research by public authorities and potentially lead to increase the funds thereof;

The society will benefit as well from this collaboration. Its benefits will be expressed in terms of improved education and creation of new jobs.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Link related to this subject: http://ec.europa.eu/invest-in-research/pdf/download_en/knowledge_transfe_07.pdf