Recent Reports & Studies: COGR: Tutorial on Technology Transfer

University-centered technology transfer is not new; however, research institutions have been thrust to the center of much of the discussion for building tech-based economies. A Tutorial on Technology Transfer in U.S. Colleges and Universities, a new paper by the Council on Government Relations (COGR), provides a good primer on the subject from the perspective of the academic institution.

The document provides the historical and political framework for university involvement in technology transfer as well as advice on establishing an intellectual property policy and managing IP assets. The majority of the 20-page paper provides detailed steps for transforming an idea generated on a campus into a commercial product or service. Software and web-based products also receive treatment. The paper closes with a discussion on addressing the risks or costs of academic technology transfer, including institutional and personal conflicts of interest.

The paper is intended for member institutions of COGR, however the organization encourages the use of its materials by others through linkages to the COGR homepage: http://www.cogr.edu. Look for the Tutorial and other relevant papers under “publications.”

Commercializing university-developed technology will be a major focus of Beyond the Hype: Tools for Building Tech-based Economies, SSTI's Fourth Annual Conference.