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Conference presentations

Glasgow, 2011

Conference Programme

 

Knowledge Exchange in a New Funding Environment - David Sweeney, HEFCE

The Agile University – surviving and thriving - Ewart Wooldridge CBE, Leadership Foundation for Higher Education

 

PARALLEL SESSIONS

Session A1    Themes from the CSR and New Models: TTO/KTO Structures and Styles, Chaired by Carina Healy, Dundas & Wilson

Summary

Dr Jeff Skinner, London Business School           

Dr Stephen Bence, Transentia

Dr Diane Harbison, Edinburgh BioQuarter

 

Session A2    International Experiences: Comparative Approaches to Knowledge Transfer, Chaired by Dr Phil Clare, University of Oxford

Summary

Jan Bingley, CSIRO Operations

Professor Erik Vermeulen, Philips International and Tilburg University

Uwe Haug, Steinbeis-Stiftung

John Westensee, Aarhus University

 

Session A3     Professional Development: What I Wish my Boss had Told Me, Chaired by Dr Ewan Chirnside, University of St Andrews

Summary

 

Session A4   New Models of Engagement: New Structures and Mechanisms, Chaired by Sean Fielding, University of Exeter

Dr Allyson Reed, Technology Strategy Board

Mike Johnson, Medical Research Council Technology

 

The University of Strathclyde – a Place of Useful Learning - Professor Philip Winn, University of Strathclyde

Changing the Knowledge Exchange Model - Professor Anton Muscatelli, University of Glasgow

 

PARALLEL SESSIONS

Session B1    Themes from the CSR and New Models: The Holistic KT Office, Chaired by John Francis, Oxford Brookes University

Summary

Sean Fielding, University of Exeter

David Hartley, Oxford Brookes University

 

Session B2    International Experiences: Strategic International Partnerships with Business, Chaired by Dr Alan Burbidge, University of Nottingham

Summary

Dr George Rice, University of Nottingham

 

Session B3    Professional Development: Effective Internal and External Communications, Chaired by Dr Diane Harbison, Edinburgh BioQuarter

Patricia Latter, Royal Veterinary College

Dr Malcolm Skingle CBE, GlaxoSmithKline

Dr Douglas Robertson, Newcastle University   

 

Session B4    New Models of Engagement: Engaging with Industry, Chaired by Dr Rupert Osborn, IP Pragmatics Ltd

Summary

Professor Colin Adams, University of Edinburgh

 

Entrepreneurship in Technology Transfer - Dr Tim Cook, Isis Innovation Ltd

Demonstrating Success in Knowledge Exchange - Alice Frost, HEFCE

 

Topical Issues

HEIF Institutional Strategy Workshop

THE IMPACT AWARDS '11

Sir Tim Wilson speaking at the Gala Dinner and The Impact Awards

Nottingham, 2010

 

Conference Programme

Nottingham – Effective collaboration in Knowledge Transfer:Creating a Critical Mass for Knowledge Transfer Collaboration

Speakers: Chris Thompson - The University of Nottingham, Professor Baback Yazdani - Nottingham Trent University, Dr Glenn Crocker - BioCity Nottingham  

Session A1 - The Impact of the Recession

Summary

Chairperson: Carina Healy - Dundas & Wilson

Speakers: Dr Pauline Stasiak - MRC Technology, Brian Horsburgh - IP Group plc, Alexander Weedon - UCL Business plc    

Session A2 - Non-Executive Directors

Chairperson: Dr Kevin Cullen - University of Glasgow

Speakers: Tom Hockaday - Isis Innovation Ltd, Stuart Thompson - IP Group plc, Dr Ian Wilding - Ian Wilding Associates Ltd

Session A3 - How to Build Relationships with Corporates

Chairperson: Dr Diane Harbison - Pfizer

Speakers: Dr Rob Pinnock - Merck Sharp & Dohme, Dr Colin Adams - University of Edinburgh, Dr David Rhodes - Health Protection Agency

Session A4 - What is Social Enterprise?

Summary

Chairperson: Dr Jeff Skinner - London Business School

Speakers: Sarah Yorke and Lauren Croll - UnLtd, Ruchi Gupta - The University of Manchester

The Contribution of Public Sector Research to the Discovery of New Drugs

Speaker: Dr Ashley Stevens - President, Association of University Technology Managers

PSRE - University Interactions

Chairperson: Sunil Shahaney - Partnerships UK

Speakers: Dr David Gleaves - MidTECH - NHS Innovations West Midlands, Dr Phil Wakeley - Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Dr Sarah Macnaughton - Isis Innovation Ltd

Absorbing Research: Opportunities and Challenges for Knowledge Transfer Offices

Speakers: Dr David Docherty and Philip Ternouth - the Council for Industry and Higher Education

ATTP

Speaker: Dr Kevin Cullen - University of Glasgow

Topical Issues

Incentivising Academics

Commercialising Non-Patent IP

Technology Transfer Office Collaboration

When the Money Runs Out

 

Research Councils UK Perspective: Pathways to Impact

Speaker: Dr Simon Jackman - Natural Environment Research Council & Chair, Cross Council Impact within Peer Review Group

Session B1 - The Role of the TTO/KTO in Impact

Summary

Chairperson: John Francis - Oxford Brookes University

Speakers: Graeme Rosenberg - HEFCE, Professor Jerry Roberts - The University of Nottingham, Dr Ederyn Williams - Warwick Ventures

Session B2 -Have you evolved yet?  Using Web 2.0 and Social Networking for Knowledge Transfer

Chairperson: Sean Fielding - University of Exeter  

Speakers: Brian McCaul - University of Leeds, Iain Simpson - BDO

Session B3 - Why I Hate the TTO

Summary

Chairperson: Dr Angela Kukula - Aston University

Speakers: Dr James Houston, Dr Chris Martin - Pfizer, Dr Andrew Muir - Midven, Professor Geoff Tansley - Aston University

Session B4 - Funding the Gap

Summary

Chairperson: Dr Sue O’Hare - London Metropolitan University

Speakers: Dr Stephen Bence - Transentia Ltd, Neil Crabb - Frontier IP Ltd, Dr Mark Payton - Mercia Technology Seed Fund

Accelerating Scientific Innovation through Design

Speakers: Ellie Runcie - Design Council, Dr George Rice - The University of Nottingham

Seeing Further: setting a long-term vision for UK science and innovation

Speaker: Dr James Wilsdon - Royal Society Science Policy Centre

 

Brighton, 2009

 

Session A1 - Funding the Gap

Chairperson: Dr Simon Haworth, IPSO Ventures

The speakers will be leading figures in those venture capital firms that specialise in investing in university technologies. They will speak about their experiences in investing, and will explain the factors that prompt them to decide to invest (or not) in an opportunity.

 

Session A2 - Developments and Challenges of Regional and National Innovation Policies

Chairperson: John Francis, Oxford Brookes University

Innovation has been one of the hot topics for government both at a national and a regional level. Businesses and the public sector are all being exhorted to innovate to maintain a lead in their sector and become more effective. Universities are seen as being able to play a major role in the innovation ecosystem. Policy and processes are being developed and this session will explore policy and experiences from a national, regional and international perspective.

 

Session A3 - Bid Writing

Chairperson: Dr Alison Campbell, King's College London Business Ltd

Innovation is about making new knowledge useful. In the process of drafting grant proposals, PIs are increasingly being asked to consider the impact and commercial potential of their research. More grant funding schemes are being created to support translational research, across the disciplines. So what is the role of the TTO in this changing landscape? This session draws on experience of TTOs in helping to craft grant applications and explores best practice in management of research funding where it relates to translational research.

 

Session A4 - Open Space

Chairperson: Eleanor Taylor, Scottish Enterprise

Open Space is an exciting and productive way to talk to a group of like-minded people about important issues. Delegates are asked to participate by generating and leading topics for discussion.

 

Session B1 - A Capital Adventure: how venture funding works

Chairperson: Dr Sue O?Hare, University of Reading

Research institutions have long been working with venture capitalists to fund their spin-out companies. By now academics and technology transfer offices have become reasonably familiar with VCs and their outward appearance and behaviour. But what goes on behind the scenes? How does the whole venture funding market work? How do VC funds raise money? What are the expectations of their investors? How are individual VCs incentivised? This session will provide an insight from experts to complete the picture and give a better understanding of why VCs behave in the way they do.

 

Session B2 - Charity Law, Tax Law and Research - Implications for working with Industry

Chairperson: Dr Phil Clare, University of Oxford

Recent changes in tax and charity law have increased the focus on the charitable status of universities, and the implications that this has for the way we work with other organisations, and businesses in particular. Amid fears that this was the next schedule 22, Unico has been working with HEFCE, the HMRC and the Charity Commission, among others, to effect a solution. This talk will outline the problem, the guidance that has recently been published, and the implications for universities. The session will be of particular interest to colleagues who negotiate or manage research or other contracts with industry.

 

Session B3 - Relationship Management

Chairperson: Liz Flint, Aberystwyth University

Universities are more commercially active than ever before, and technology transfer offices have been actively developing their relationship management processes and skills. But how are other universities doing this? What are the differences between managing relationships with large corporates and with SMEs? What role does the academic play? How does the TTO interact with the rest of the university ? are you representing the whole institution or just the technology transfer office? Most importantly, what do companies want? This session will provide an insight from a range of experts to give a better understanding of relationship management in a university context.

 

Session B4 - State Aid

Chairperson: Dr Ian Carter, University of Sussex

This session will give a general overview of the State aid regime, including the policy behind the State aid rules, content of the rules and enforcement and penalties. It will cover how the State aid rules apply to universities, referring to the most important legislation and recent BERR guidance. It will then look at some specific examples, including issues that arise where a university uses public funding to develop a project to the point of spin-out formation.

 

 

Session C1 - Dealing with US Funding

Chairperson: Dr Kevin Cullen, University of Glasgow

Does your university do any research funded by US funding agencies, NIH, NSF, NAS and the likes? Is there any reason why the Tech Transfer Office should know, or be interested? You can guess where this is going... Accepting funding from these sources legally commits the university to complying with US regulations relating to IP, from a requirement to report all inventions to obligations to exploit. If your university has any funding of this type, you have a job to do and you'd better find out what it is. We have an expert panel to tell you what you really, really (legally) need to know.

 

Session C2 - Hubs and Spokes

Chairperson: Professor David Secher, Cambridge University and Unico Chairman

Both Richard Lambert and Professor Paul Wellings called for new models of technology transfer offices working together. Why has there not been more activity in this area? Some models from the UK and abroad will be discussed as well as how to follow up or respond to these suggestions. This session will be unmissable for anyone from large or small offices who feels that there could be scope for more effective working through collaboration.

 

Session C3 - Valuing IP

Chairperson: Dr Douglas Robertson, Newcastle University

The valuation of IPR is notoriously difficult. Universities, in general, are often accused of over-valuing IPR by representatives of the business community. However, universities often respond that business under-values the IPR arising from universities. In a survey carried out by Browne Jacobson, a leading UK law firm, a poll of 220 UK business owners found that 80% of business owners were unaware of the value of their intellectual property assets, and only 48% had any clear policies in place for protecting IPR. The difficulty over IPR valuations is that there is no such thing as a generic rule, just as there are no generic rules for royalty rates which can be expected from inventions. Valuation of IPR or lack of valuation at an appropriate time also raises taxation issues. This session will consider the issues for universities relating to IPR valuation as well as different approaches to valuation.

 

Session C4 - Working with your NHS Trust

Chairperson: Dr Alison Campbell, Managing Director, King's College London Business Ltd

Academic Health Sciences Centres, NHS Innovation Hubs, OSCHR, Biomedical Research Centres ? never has the landscape for biomedical and health research and exploitation been so exciting and so complicated. In this session, practitioners from university and the NHS will share their experiences of working together to create value in translational research and development.

 

  • Keynote Speech Dr Graham Spittle CBE, Chair of the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) and Vice President, Software UKI (UK & Ireland), IBM

Birmingham, 2008

 

Workshop A1 - Translational Medicine

Translational medicine is increasingly important. But what does this mean for the KT office? This session explored the evolving models in this area and reviewed recent partnerships with the pharmaceutical industry; unpacking the models and looking at, how the lessons learned can be applied in delegates? own circumstances

 

Workshop A2 - Grant Terms and Conditions

The freedom universities have to develop their IP is affected by terms and conditions of grants that have funded the research. What sort of terms are found in standard grant terms and conditions that relate to IP? What sort of indemnity clauses are included (and are we insured)? What are the implications for the technology transfer function? How do we fulfil these obligations and what do funders expect from us? What are the underlying reasons why funders ask these things? What complications arise from multiple funders?

 

Workshop A3 - Alumni Relations/Development

This workshop addressed two related questions. How can TTOs best use alumni and other university networks to gain additional value for their activities (funding, mentors, non-execs, advisors, speakers)? How do TTOs and research offices manage the relationship with the development office, when their targets are very different (financial vs. risk management)? When is a donation not a donation?

 

Workship B2 - IP Due Diligence

Before we can commercialise IP, we need to make sure that we own it. This session focused on what procedures do we use to verify title to IP? Who negotiates agreement with other rights holders? What obligations do we have to funders and how do we discharge them?

 

Workshop B3 - International Collaborations

This session provided insight into the rewards and challenges faced when planning collaborations and working with overseas partners. A panel of representatives from academia, industry and government discussed and explored the issues from both policy development and practical management perspectives.

 

Creating and Sustaining Regional Collaborations

The West Midlands Universities have been particularly good at working with each other and with other regional bodies to drive regional innovation. Speakers introduced some of the regional schemes they have been involved in and told how they went about creating those collaborations, what worked, what didn't and how collaborations can be sustained once the honeymoon period is over.

 

IP and Universities - a Report to Government

Professor Wellings has been asked by the government to review the management of IP by universities in the UK. He presented and discussed key aspects of this important research at the conference.

 

Driving Innovation

Professor Julia King talked about her roles as a Member of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology Governing Board, the DIUS Strategic Board and the Technology Strategy Board, and her work leading the recent King Review of low carbon cars.

 

Workshop C1 - Emerging Technologies

Talking to industry involves the same old faces in the same old industries. In the ICT sector a whole new cohort of companies are emerging. There are large industries built around social networking, and emerging new technologies around Web 2.0. This session discussed how do we engage with these industries? Who do we talk to? What form will our collaboration take?

 

Workshop C2 - University Knowledge and Business Expertise - Partners or Pariahs?

Exploring the synergies and challenges of turning innovative university ideas from academics and students into commercial reality; this session compared commercialisation frameworks which support and accelerate opportunities and asked key players involved how academics and students can be empowered to develop their business ideas. What sort of ideas work best? What kind of opportunities need to be available to take a ?good idea? forward? What sort of barriers exist and how might they be overcome? What kinds of frameworks are important to support the process? And how do you manage multi HEI collaborations?

 

Workshop C3 - IP Auctions and Other New Ways to Commercialise IP

Ocean Tomo has pioneered IP auctions, which have caused a great deal of interest. They have also introduced patent bid/ask and The Dean's List, new platforms for transacting high quality IP. Other players have developed their own novel systems for developing and commercialising IP. This session discussed how do these novel ways of commercialising IP work; is there a market appetite for them; what have been the experiences of those involved; and how can a University get involved in using these new IP commercialisation mechanisms?

 

Bristol, 2008

 

Workshop A1 - Building Relationships with Corporates

 

Workshop A2 - Research Pooling

 

Workshop A3 - Licensing to Industry Issues and Impacts

 

University commercialisation in Australia - standing up for your IP rights through litigation

 

University Spinout Companies - What are the Critical Success Factors?

 

Workshop B1 - Charities Act

 

Workshop B2 - Metrics

 

Workshop B3 - Arts and Humanities & the Social Sciences

 

Keynote address

 

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