Dr. Ashley Stevens, President, Association of University Technology Mangers and Special Assistant to the Vice President for Research, Boston University
Newswise — The Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) welcomes the issuance of “Managing University Intellectual Property in the Public Interest,” a new report released today by a committee of the National Research Council of the National Academies.
The report comes at a particularly appropriate time as the Bayh-Dole Act, the landmark legislation that dramatically fueled the movement of university discoveries into public use, marks its 30th anniversary this December. Bayh-Dole established our nation’s current technology transfer system that allows universities to own the discoveries made by their faculty funded in whole or part by the U.S. government and to determine how they will be developed and brought to public use.
The report provides an outstanding examination of our nation’s complex, multi-faceted technology transfer process and concludes that this system has been more effective than its pre-1980 predecessor. We are encouraged by the report’s six findings, in particular its endorsement of the U.S. model of institutional ownership and responsibility for managing the intellectual property created in academic institutions.
AUTM concurs in principle with all 15 of the report’s recommendations, while recognizing that some pertain to individual institutional policies and so will require evaluation by each institution. However, technology transfer is a process that is shared between universities and their commercial partners. Improvements and incentives also will need to be developed and implemented by private industry. We are pleased that several of the recommendations align with current AUTM initiatives for improving technology transfer practices, such as:
• offering wide ranging technology transfer educational opportunities and services to our members, prospective members and partners in academia, industry and government; • identifying creative ways for smaller universities to support inventive faculty; • establishing a professional code of conduct and best practices in areas such as clinical diagnostics, global health and material transfer agreements; and • creating a robust set of technology transfer metrics that among other goals will better measure societal impact.
AUTM will further study and discuss this significant report among our leadership and members. We look forward to working with academic, industry and government partners to help implement its recommendations. Members of the press may contact Jodi Talley at +1-847-559-0846 or [email protected] to set up an interview or for more information.
About AUTMThe Association of University Technology Managers is a nonprofit organization with an international membership of more than 3,000 technology managers and business executives. AUTM members — managers of intellectual property, one of the most active growth sectors of the global economy —come from more than 300 universities, research institutions and teaching hospitals as well as numerous businesses and government organizations. For more information, visit https:/www.autm.net
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