Knowledge transfer
This is the process by which the research base of Higher Education Institutions and Public Sector Research Establishments interacts with business to utilise its knowledge and expertise, for commercial purposes.
Intellectual property (IP) plays a vital role in the knowledge transfer environment. We have been involved in initiatives aimed at promoting effective and appropriate use of IP by knowledge transfer professionals.
Following the publication of the Baker Report "Creating Knowledge Creating Wealth - Realising the economic potential of Public Sector Research Establishments", we published guidelines to promote effective utilisation, management and exploitation of IP generated in publicly funded research.
We were also involved with the Association of University Research and Industry Links (AURIL) and Universities UK to produce 2 guides relating to Higher Education Institution's handling of IP:
- The Handbook of Intellectual Property Management is for research management staff. This provides practical assistance in the form of example documentation, educational material and checklists.
- A Guide to Managing Intellectual Property: Strategic
Decision-Making
in Universities
(2.29Mb) was designed to inform and support activities of senior managers
in
universities to assist them
in the development of their IP strategies and policies.
The Baker Group
The Baker Group looks into the commercialisation of research in the Government's public sector research establishments (PSREs) and how it can be promoted.
The Crest Group
The Committee de la Recherche Scientifique & Technique (CREST) advises the European Council and works to define and oversee the implementation of a soft governance tool called the 'Open Method of Coordination'.
The
Group produced a report in 2006 entitled "Intellectual Property - cross border collaboration between publicly funded research organisations and industry and technology
transfer training 
".
The report highlights the
main factors that need to be taken into account to facilitate successful cross-border collaborative
research projects, for example IPR ownership, academic publication rights and the protection and enforcement
of IPR. The appendices provide fact sheets detailing the major elements of the IPR
framework and IPR rules in nineteen European countries and New Zealand.
A key outcome of the report is the Cross-Border
Collaboration Decision Guide . This interactive tool-kit takes the user through
an iterative decision process and raises a set of strategic questions to consider when planning and
negotiating collaborative research projects.
E-learning program guidance
We been involved with the team at HEFCE who have been developing guidance on e-learning projects
