Partnership and Collaboration Fuel Economic Development:
Accelerating innovation and consumer impact
Over the past 5 years, NC State has expanded its commitment to partner with industry to identify and advance a greater number of research projects with commercialization potential. Our efforts ultimately facilitate the development of new products and services as well as establish new companies where applied research collaborations and technology development partnerships invigorate the economy of North Carolina. With over 100 products now available to consumers, NC State ranks as one of the most successful universities at translating early stage discoveries into market solutions that impact consumers.
Technology transfer is a two-way street that involves not only identifying, valuing, and pushing research innovations out to industry, but also industry pull--stimulating market applications by actively identifying technology needs that will enhance the products and services of companies and other institutions. The relationship between the university and our industry partners is multifaceted, encompassing exchanges of knowledge, expertise, working culture and money. Increased efforts to understand industry needs has resulted in improved relationships with our industry partners. Over 90 new partnerships were established in fiscal year 2009, nearly double the activity in 2005.
University-industry interactions can generally be categorized as collaborations and research partnerships, with industry supplying financial support to universities in exchange for options on developed technologies and inventions. The most successful interactions result in discoveries being licensed to and developed by industry in exchange for upfront and downstream monies.
These partnerships have been encouraged and stimulated by several factors: passage of legislation, most notably the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980, corporate restructuring in the 1980s resulting in reduced industry R&D spending and reduced federal R&D funding. Increased technology transfer activity has sparked a debate on universities' roles in the national economy: on the extent to which these relationships affect the mission of universities to carry out and disseminate the results of basic research, and on how universities can manage their partnerships, collaborations and technology transfer without compromising their mission.
Although issues arising related to intellectual property, rights to publish research results, and academic freedom continue to pose challenges to university-industry relationships, the value to public health, education and the economy far outweigh the challenges.
At NC State, we strive to make sure that collaborations benefit all parties and that the mission of NC State is protected. Our commitment to partnership is expanding research relationships, building a broad innovation pipeline, and is helping us deliver on our commitment to provide benefits to North Carolinians.