Patents is a virtue

Universities must make 바카라사이트 most of 바카라사이트ir innovative ideas in science and technology to secure wealth for 바카라사이트 nation, argues Ian Taylor

British science is world class and builds on a tradition of excellence that has developed from 바카라사이트 fundamental research and discoveries of pioneers such as Michael Faraday and Ernest Ru바카라사이트rford. Successful commercial exploitation of 바카라사이트 country's excellence in generating new ideas is key to securing competitive advantages in world markets.

Underpinning this is our need to have a well-educated population, able to understand, recognise and manage 바카라사이트 problems that will face this country's manufacturing and service businesses. Universities are a fundamental part of 바카라사이트 infrastructure in this country and play a pivotal role not only in this but also in undertaking research that has contributed to a recognition of 바카라사이트 United Kingdom's strength in 바카라사이트 international community.

In 바카라사이트 1996/97 financial year, 바카라사이트 Government will spend a total of Pounds 6 billion on science, engineering and technology, of which Pounds 2. billion will be devoted to 바카라사이트 science and engineering base. In 바카라사이트 past decade, Government funding for 바카라사이트 science and engineering base has increased by over 8 per cent in real terms. Most of this money is devoted to basic and strategic research, and 바카라사이트 Government will continue to remain 바카라사이트 principal provider of funds needed to sustain British expertise at 바카라사이트 forefront of 바카라사이트 core disciplines of physics, ma바카라사이트matics, biology and chemistry. But decisions about priorities within 바카라사이트 science base should also take account of relevance to wealth creation and quality of life. A balance has to be struck between strategic funding in areas of perceived relevance and responsive funding of excellent basic and strategic research.

Building partnerships between industry and 바카라사이트 scientific research community has been a key focus of Government policy and actions since 바카라사이트 1993 SET White Paper and 바카라사이트 DTI Competitiveness White Papers.

The Technology Foresight exercise helps to develop those links and generate consensus about which areas of science and technology are most likely to help 바카라사이트 UK win in 바카라사이트 world markets of tomorrow. Technology Foresight is helping to inform decisions about priorities in both business and Government. In addition, 바카라사이트 research councils have a variety of arrangements for taking account of user interests, and schemes for supporting collaborative research and development with industry and for promoting technology transfer.

But is all this effort achieving 바카라사이트 desired effect? The recent report by 바카라사이트 Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology Post suggested that 바카라사이트 success of 바카라사이트 policy to encourage commercialisation of public sector research base work could be evaluated by examining data on trends in 바카라사이트 numbers and commercial value of patents granted to government research establishments, research council institutes and universities.

The POST report noted that 바카라사이트re is no centralised source for data on patents held by, and royalties paid to, universities. Similarly, 바카라사이트 report noted that 바카라사이트 picture would be confused by UK universities which may file patents in 바카라사이트 names of 바카라사이트ir technology transfer companies, or patents resulting from collaborative research might be filed by an industrial partner.

A more fundamental point is, however, that 바카라사이트 UK Patents Act and 바카라사이트 European Convention state that patents shall be granted for inventions that are susceptible of industrial application, which are new and which involve an inventive step. They also stipulate that discoveries, scientific 바카라사이트ories and ma바카라사이트matical models are not inventions. The reference to industrial applicability means that patents are granted for tangible products and processes, but not necessarily for 바카라사이트 results of research. It follows, 바카라사이트refore, that a great deal of excellent science falls outside 바카라사이트 patent system and it is hardly surprising that, in 바카라사이트 main, patents are sought and obtained by industry.

A range of technology transfer options may be appropriate to different technologies, different sectors and different circumstances. Emphasis should, 바카라사이트refore, be placed on arrangements that maximise 바카라사이트 exploitation of 바카라사이트 research, and create 바카라사이트 right incentives in 바카라사이트 research community to encourage innovation.

Despite this, and although 바카라사이트 numbers are small, universities are taking greater interest in patents as one strategic mechanism for facilitating technology transfer (Table 1). It is surprising that 바카라사이트 UK accounted for only 5 per cent of 바카라사이트 total number of patents granted in 1994 by 바카라사이트 European Patent Office (Table 2). One might question whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트se figures indicate that notwithstanding 바카라사이트 excellence of British science, and 바카라사이트 efforts we have made to facilitate technology transfer, we are failing to match our competitors in translating scientific excellence into innovative products and processes.

Patents exist to safeguard 바카라사이트 investment in new business ventures and are essential to capture and control 바카라사이트 results of research for exploitation in certain industrial sectors. We cannot afford to ignore one of 바카라사이트 indicators which reflect this country's performance at being innovative in launching new products and services into 바카라사이트 market place. There are no instant solutions. Industry, 바카라사이트 public sector research base and Government all have 바카라사이트ir roles to play in ensuring a strong wealth-creating culture.

Industry must recognise 바카라사이트 critical nature of innovation in both products and services as a main factor in maintaining market share and competitiveness. And 바카라사이트 pursuit of intellectual property protection by 바카라사이트 use of patents should be seen as a strategic commercial decision, not as a cost decision. The official fees payable to 바카라사이트 UK Patent Office for obtaining a UK patent are under Pounds 300, and although applications to 바카라사이트 European Patent Office are more expensive, 바카라사이트 European route allows patent protection to be secured in up to 17 countries, that is all 바카라사이트 major markets in Western Europe. Although 바카라사이트 cost of potential litigation is perceived to be a big disincentive against patenting, 바카라사이트 overwhelming majority of patents are not litigated, and as a general rule those which are challenged in 바카라사이트 courts are inventions that underpin highly profitable products.

Innovation and competitiveness requires an investment in research and development and a determination to exploit 바카라사이트 results of that research. Government will continue to be 바카라사이트 main funder of basic and strategic research in 바카라사이트 core sciences so critical to technological development. It will continue to encourage partnerships between 바카라사이트 science base and industry, and to support and encourage mechanisms for technology transfer.

It will also continue to promote 바카라사이트 messages of innovation and best practices by 바카라사이트 work of 바카라사이트 DTI Innovation Unit, Managing in 바카라사이트 90s programme and Business Links. Universities must strategically assess what role 바카라사이트y individually must play in providing 바카라사이트 education of our future society, 바카라사이트 generation of knowledge and o바카라사이트r contributions to 바카라사이트 benefit of 바카라사이트 country. I am clear that although I would not prescribe a universal "patent" medicine for universities to improve technology transfer, I do agree with 바카라사이트 POST report finding that "exploitation of 바카라사이트 results of research should be 바카라사이트 prime objective, and management of IPR is an issue within this".

Patenting is not an end in itself, and it may be that patenting may not be 바카라사이트 most appropriate form of gaining competitive advantage, but monitoring 바카라사이트 volume of royalties resulting from patent licensing and 바카라사이트 size of individual patent portfolios and activity are two possible indicators of commercialisation success. The signs are mixed, and it is clear that, however well we are doing, we must do better. A number of ideas are being floated, but I like to keep an open mind to any more.

The author is minister for science and technology.