OHIO STATE SETS AGENDA TO ENHANCE TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIPS

   COLUMBUS -- A new report prepared as part of The Ohio State University’s intensified focus on technology partnerships outlines the university’s role in developing and sustaining alliances between education and technology companies.

   The University Technology Partnerships Task Force says Ohio State must expand its capacity to develop research programs and technology commercialization strategies that benefit the university and the local, state and national economy. Recommendations include changes in both academic and administrative functions at the university, and call for Ohio State to join the private sector in creating a vital technology enterprise climate in central Ohio.

   Several initiatives are in progress. Noting that Ohio State should increase its visibility as a potential partner to businesses, the group says increased staffing is needed in technology-related offices and recommends a “one-stop shop” point of contact for technology partnerships at the university. The offices of Technology Licensing, Industrial Outreach, and Business and Industry Contracts now located in Ohio State’s Research Foundation building on Kenny Road will be organized in a cluster to achieve that purpose. A component of that reorganization was the March appointment of David N. Allen as assistant vice president for technology partnerships. Allen coordinated the task force’s work.

   The task force has set a six-month timeline for other initiatives, including establishing ways the university can incorporate support for technology development into the academic culture. They include clarifying faculty roles in start-up companies that license university intellectual property, revising Ohio State’s 10-year-old copyright and patent policy, and, more generally, acknowledging the value of technology development as part of the broader academic experience for students.

   Also expected within six months is establishment of a Technology Commercialization Corp. The corporation will access university-created core intellectual property, work to refine the technology into operational practice and, where the market responds favorably, create companies based on technology. Relationships with business and the public sector will be enhanced by continued growth of the Science and Technology Campus, additional government support for new initiatives and increased collaboration with other institutions.

   The task force, which includes university administrators, some of Ohio State’s most distinguished research faculty, and representatives of government and industry, was appointed by President William E. Kirwan in August. In accepting the report, Kirwan said he will champion the task force’s “break-the-mold strategies, which recognize that innovation cannot be left to chance.”

   “At Ohio State, we are committed to being a catalyst for new ideas, and to doing our part to keep the state competitive and prosperous for future generations of Ohioans. With the strategies set forth in this report, our faculty, students and alumni will be central to making Ohio State a leader in the technology-driven economy,” Kirwan said.

   “While we nurture this shift in Ohio State’s culture, it remains critical that these associations enhance the university’s research and teaching missions while they strengthen the economy,” added Ted Celeste, chair of the university Board of Trustees and a member of the task force steering committee. “The educational component -- introducing students to innovative learning experiences and providing them with enhanced job opportunities -- is key to this effort.”

   The task force, assisted by Battelle Institute’s Technology Partnership Practice, based its findings and recommendations in part on an analysis of best practices of applied research and technology programs in American higher education.

   The full report, including a list of task force members, is available at: http://www.techtransfer.rf.ohio-state.edu/utptaskforce/

Contact: David N. Allen, (614) 688-5744 or allen.522@osu.edu