UK seeks to protect innovation with new guide for researchers

Brussels, 20 March 2002

The UK is intending to safeguard its cutting edge inventions with the launch of a new guide, 'Managing intellectual property'.

The guide provides strategic advice to universities about how to safeguard their creations and inventions, and includes information on budget management, ownership of intellectual property (IP) and negotiations with sponsors, collaboration between universities to manage intellectual property and performance indicators and evaluation. The guide also highlights how a well-managed IP portfolio can help them be a more attractive partner to research sponsors, and ensures researchers have access to the results of their research for future projects and teaching.

'The UK has some of the best scientific brains in the world. Helping turn their new ideas into prosperity and jobs is essential in maintaining the strength of the UK economy,' said the UK's Science Minister, Lord Sainsbury. 'By managing intellectual property effectively, the UK can take full advantage of research, bringing potential improvements in quality of life and increased prosperity. I hope the advice in this guide will support our universities in turning brilliant research into excellent business,' he said.

Professor John Archer, principal of Heriot-Watt University in the UK, and chair of the steering committee responsible for producing the report, stressed that the guide will also be useful to those working outside academia.

'Good intellectual property management is essential for knowledge transfer and it also contributes to other university aims and objectives. This guide seeks to help vice-chancellors and senior managers in universities by identifying the issues that need to be addressed if the potential benefits of effective intellectual property are to be realised. We hope, however, that audiences both within and outside higher education will find the guide useful.'

For further information and a copy of the guide, please consult the following web address: http://www.patent.gov.uk

CORDIS RTD-NEWS/© European Communities, 2001