BUILDING PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE FOR COLLABORATIVE R&D AS A TECH TRANSFER

TOOL

Lorne HeslopAgriculture and Agri-Food CanadaMay 29, 2003

Public Collaboration in R&D is Changing

• What do we need to do?

Background

• US– Bayh-Dole Act (legislation)– Technology Transfer Act(s)

• Canada – Policy– uniquely implemented by each department

Current Observations - 1

• TT increases benefits from public research• Royalties support new research and reward scientists• US university patenting up 5 fold• US university royalties at $2B

Current Observations - 2

• US CRADAS down 4 fold• Access to Upstream Research is too Costly• patents & licenses drive research• transaction costs > benefits• Why license?• Patenting hampers accessibility - The Patent Thicket

Current Observations - 3

• Access to Upstream Research is too Costly• Cost of Negotiating Access > Benefits of Access• Cost of “Inventing Around” is too Great• Why patent?

What to do?

• Change the Patent Law?• Restrict public patenting?

Other Observations

• Output-financed & supplier dominated?• “Private watchdog” or ”Servant to business”?• Focus too narrow?

Current Environment

• Multi-Partner Collaborations - Shaping the Future of R&D• Speech from the Throne• Council of Science & Technology Advisers

Role of Federal Government in Science

• support for decision making, policy development and regulations• development and management of standards• support for public health, safety, environmental and/or defense

needs• enabling economic and social development

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Society and Politics

Economics and Finance

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Communities of Practice

Purpose & Practice

Modes of Research

Mode 1

Basic Research

Explanation Oriented

Disciplinary Silo

Peer Review

Internal Accountability

Explains “Why”

Mode 2

Applied Research

Solutions Oriented

Multi Disciplinary

External Relevance

External Accountability

Exploits “How & Now”

Mode 3

Societal Orientation

Futures Oriented

Trans Disciplinary

Policy/Strategy Driven

Transparency

Examines “What, When, & Where”

Increasing Public Value

NRC Strategic Evolution

Where to in the future?

• National S&T Vision• Multi-Partner Collaboration

What can FPTT do?

What do Canadians want?

• sustainable environment• safe and healthy food• public health and safety and • economic prosperity. AND• Multi-Partner Collaboration

References

• From “Rapporteurs’ Summary of the Joint Netherlands-OECD Expert Workshop on the Strategic Use of IPRs by Public Research Organizations.

• Technology Transfer: Frustrated Industry Shuns Government Laboratory Research” ManufacturingNews.Com Vol9, #16.

• Intellectual Property and Agricultural Research Implications for Public and Private Sectors, Sponsored by NC2003, New Brunswick, New Jersey, February 28 - March 1, 2003

• Agricultural public-sector resaerch establishments in Western Europe: research priorities in conflict.” Levidow, Les, Villy Sogaard, Susan Carr. Science and Public Policy, Vol. 29, No. 4, August 2002, pp287-295