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IPR Management Principles for Academic Institutions

IPR management in academic institutions is a complex process, in which the mandate of an institution includes education and research on the one hand and entrepreneurial results on the other.

Therefore, providing guidelines in the form of IP Management Principles or Recommendations can support Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs) and researchers in taking appropriate actions and selecting the most reliable partners to achieve the goals as set up in IP policies.

management of academic intellectual property rights in the digital world
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Governmental and intergovernmental guidelines for IPR management

IP Management guidelines can be defined by various actors, including governments that seek to streamline national research outputs through provisions in higher education laws or legal instruments for funding research activities based on data about contributions to social well-being.

Regional intergovernmental organizations such as the EU and its bodies (EC) often take this leadership role to ensure more coherent and focused collaboration on IP among the many actors involved in innovation in the region - governments, academic institutions and industry.

European Commission, Manifesto for EU COVID-19 Research

In February 2022, European Commission published Manifesto for EU COVID-19 Research, which contains three main principles to be taken into consideration when dealing with research results stemming from EU-funded research grants related to COVID-19 prevention, testing and treatment. These principles are:

  • publicity and accessibility;
  • open access and following FAIR principles;
  • non-exclusive royalty free licenses.

Professional associations’ guidelines for IPR management

In today's technology management society, professional associations such as AUTM, ASTP, Red OTT México, FORTEC, SARIMA or national Technology Transfer Offices (TTO) networks, become important forums for professionals and their institutions to exchange best practices, adopt common positions on important issues and work together to further develop the profession and its qualified personnel.

In this context, network members can create common goals and procedures for effective IPR management to establish predictable rules and procedures – such as for the ownership, promotion, dissemination (open access) and exploitation of IP and allow a more effective and balanced transfer of technologies, processes and ideas aligned with the values as defined in the vision and the mission of academic institutions.

This includes guidelines on the socially responsible IP commercialization of research outcomes, focusing on unmet needs and specific level of development of certain countries.

AUTM, Nine Points to Consider in Licensing University Technology

In 2007, AUTM adopted the declaration “In the Public Interest: Nine Points to Consider in Licensing University Technology” where academic institutions were advised how to select their licensing strategies and partners in order to assure broad dissemination of research results, including special attention to unmet needs and neglected diseases as stipulated in the Point 9 of the declaration.

“Consider including provisions that address unmet needs, such as those of neglected patient populations or geographic areas, giving particular attention to improved therapeutics, diagnostics and agricultural technologies for the developing world.”

These principles are often statements of ethical attitudes and determination to demonstrate commitment of academic institutions to contribute to the development of solutions for public needs, as it was the case of COVID-19-related IPR management Declaration of AUTM.

AUTM, COVID-19 Technology Licensing Guidelines

In April 2020, AUTM has released a framework of COVID-19 Technology Licensing Guidelines that were developed to help academic and federal research institutions quickly and fairly share products and services created to prevent, diagnose, treat and contain COVID-19. The Guidelines have been signed by more than 40 institutions worldwide.

Useful resources to help academic institutions managing their IPRs