Technology transfer metrics

Submitted by administrator on Sat, 09/19/2009 - 22:34

Access Metrics Initiative

Most university technology transfer offices (TTOs) acknowledge their mission of advancing academic research to benefit society and ensuring public access to university innovations. More than 60 top research institutions have endorsed the Stanford Nine Points, which explicitly recognizes universities’ role in ensuring access to life-saving treatments in the developing world. In addition, the NIH, the CDC, AUTM, and dozens of major research institutions have adopted the Statement of Principles and Strategies for the Equitable Dissemination of Medical Technologies.

Nevertheless, despite the widespread and growing interest in access-oriented licensing, there is no effective measure of licensing success that accords with the university mission and technology transfer strategy. The current use of financial indicators not only fails to capture the value of university innovation to the public but provides incentives to maximize short-term returns at the expense of long-term growth. Without the accountability and focus generated by appropriate metrics, these strategic visions remain inspirational but ultimately ineffective.

The Access Metrics Initiative seeks to rectify the incongruity between the universities strategic goal of achieving public benefit and the current measures of success in technology transfer. The Access Metrics Index has been designed from the ground up as a measurement and communication tool for achieving an access strategy. Specifically, the AMI defines success as the dissemination of university innovation and provides research institutions with a means to monitor and evaluate their progress towards this strategic goal.

Pilot Survey for Technology Transfer Offices 2009

In collaboration with directors of Technology Transfer Offices and experts in intellectual property law, UAEM has composed a Pilot Survey for Technology Transfer Offices 2009. The survey is designed to gather the collective knowledge of TTOs on the successful implementation of the policies and licensing provisions that are effective in ensuring broad access to university-derived technologies. By collecting and sharing this information between TTOs, UAEM hopes to raise awareness of those strategies that have proven successful and foster collective implementation of access provisions in university licenses.

The Pilot Survey is focused on university-derived technologies that impact human health, particularly technologies classified as diagnostics, prophylactics, therapeutics, and medical devices. This first-stage survey requests readily available information and does not create an extensive reporting burden. In the future, the Access Metrics Initiative survey will expand to include additional information regarding access policies and practices.

While the survey being completed by TTOs is password protected, the content of the survey is available to be viewed here: Access Metrics Pilot Survey for Technology Transfer Offices 2009

We are currently working on an analysis of the results of this survey, and a new version of the survey reviewing the 2010 calendar year will be available shortly.

UAEM Student Survey on University Policy

UAEM is also collecting publicly-available university policy and mission statements in an effort to understand university and technology transfer practices in more depth both within and across universities. The Access Metrics Initiative welcomes all UAEM students to contribute to this effort with research, data collection and data analysis.

To learn more and get involved, please contact us.