PraxisUnico News

At a special dinner hosted by the Embassy, a selected group of lawyers, university and government staff discussed concerns of business-university interaction in Japan.  David was able to showcase examples of best practice from a wide range of PraxisUnico member universities and research institutes. Tom Hockaday of Isis (Oxford) gave a talk at the conference on the ISIS approach to technology transfer.

We welcome the request that Technology Strategy Board (TSB) examines the area relating to proof of concept funding.  PraxisUnico has worked on this topic previously with TSB and would be delighted to do so again.  PraxisUnico believes that the University Challenge Fund provided a major stimulus for proof of concept funding which would benefit from repeating.

Dear PraxisUnico Member

What a busy year 2012 was for PraxisUnico and knowledge transfer as a whole.  In July, the HEBCIS (Higher Education - Business and Community Interaction Survey) reported that UK universities contributed £3.3 billion to the economy in 2010-11 through services to business, including commercialisation of new knowledge and other knowledge transfer activities.

As some respondents identified the tax rules around research institution spin-out companies as a more significant consideration for the research sector than the availability of EMI for academic employees. HMRC proposes to review this area with stakeholders in the run up to Budget 2013. Further details can be found in Chapter 3 of the summary of responses. PraxisUnico has expressed interest in being involved in this review.

The PraxisUnico Salary & Incentives Survey, 2010/11 Summary is open to all. The full report has been distributed free of charge to those who contributed data and the summary is freely available to all from the PraxisUnico website.

The survey is available to journalists, confidentially, for reporting purposes.  PraxisUnico members may still obtain the survey but a £50 (plus VAT) fee will apply, for non-members a fee of £350 (plus VAT) will apply. Please contact the PraxisUnico office if you would like a copy of the full report.

Foreword

PraxisUnico is delighted to announce that it has formed an alliance with the UK Innovation Forum a forum for businesses that use leading edge technology produced by British universities and research institutions.

Both PraxisUnico and UKIF see great opportunities for collaboration, given their many common objectives, and the complementary nature of their services, activities and strengths. There will be a number of announcements over coming weeks that should be of interest to PraxisUnico members and UKIF members alike.

Cambridge, 18 September - Last night (17 September), PraxisUnico celebrated 10 years of success and was delighted to have as its keynote speakers the Rt Hon David Willetts MP, Minister of State for Universities and Science and Sir Richard Lambert the former Director-General of the CBI (currently Chancellor of the University of Warwick) at a House of Commons reception for 170 key sector stakeholders.  This reception marked 10 years of technology/knowledge transfer training by PraxisUnico.

Speaking at the reception, Dr Douglas Robertson, PraxisUnico Chairman said:

As part of the Government's response to the Hargreaves Review of Intellectual Property and Growth the Government issued this consultation on the proposals outlined in this document. It is intended that the responses to the consultation, together with other evidence, will help shape proposals to improve the UK copyright system.

This week Research Fortnight published a letter from PraxisUnico in response to its article "Open Access Misunderstood by Latest Generation of Doctoral Students". The letter reads as follows:

“More than one-quarter thought that they, not their institution, owned the IP they developed, which is likely not to be the case in the UK.”

Having now considered the detail of the Government response to the Wilson Review PraxisUnico is pleased that the response has re-affirmed the autonomous position of universities and that the response includes so many examples of excellent practice across the sector.  PraxisUnico responded to the Wilson Review at its first publication and this Government response reflects many of those recommendations either fully, or in part.