Queensland, Sydney, RMIT, South Australia and Curtin universities agree to a standardised approach to IP to increase the country's current OECD ranking.

The Australian Technology Network of Universities, a grouping of five universities in the country, has agreed a standardised approach to intellectual property (IP).

The group, made up of Queensland University of Technology, University of Technology Sydney, RMIT University, South Australia University and Curtin University, was formed to create industry and government partnerships.

The aim of the collaboration is to increase Australia’s current ranking by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) of 29th out of 30 for university-industry collaboration.

Each university has agreed to the seven principles below:

  1. We actively encourage students and staff to undertake research that is relevant to challenges faced by society and in partnership with industry, government and community groups.
  2. As guided by our industry partners, we encourage them to own and take the lead in commercialisation of intellectual property generated from industry funded research when they are best placed to do so.
  3. Where access to university owned or jointly owned IP is necessary or beneficial for commercialisation we support access to the IP based on fair and equitable terms, in a timely manner.
  4. Our interactions with industry will be governed by a transparent, flexible and user-friendly system that supports and encourages engagement using a range of IP models.
  5. Each university will make public our Intellectual Property Policies and Standard Commercial Agreement templates, to provide a simple and transparent framework.
  6. We actively encourage and promote an entrepreneurial culture for our staff and students. This includes a system of support to facilitate the creation of new ventures where our staff and students are appropriately involved.
  7. All partnerships and resultant commercial agreements will be developed and negotiated in a prompt manner and in keeping with these core principles.

 

David Lloyd, chairman of the Australian Technology Network of Universities and vice-chancellor and president of South Australia University, said: “For any university that is serious about industry engagement, having clear and transparent principles around intellectual property is a must.

“To have five of the world’s leading young universities on the same page and with the same shared goals and objectives in this domain is a huge step – a first for Australia and a real signal of how the Australian Technology Network of Universities is ready to partner with industry and end users in research.”