Facilitating Technology Transfer

IPIC's Position

IPIC submits six recommendations for consideration by the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology during its study on intellectual property and technology transfer.

Recommendation 1: In the absence of a common internal policy for IP ownership between universities and creators, the federal and provincial governments should work together to study and propose policy options with the objective of encouraging uniformity within common models. Some universities might continue with
their current creator-owned IP model, others with their university-owned IP model, and some allowing either, but, for each of these models, clear and similar policies for all the universities that employ them would reduce the complications arising in technology transfer.

Recommendation 2: To transform the variety of practices and range of expertise found in TTOs across Canada into a national advantage, the government should support or establish programs that facilitate knowledge sharing across TTOs including about best practices in working with IP professionals.

Recommendation 3: The government should develop programs that help to bridge the funding gaps between academic research and market entry.

Recommendation 4: Universities should engage IP professionals in discussions and education about technology transfer best practices and about IP basics. IPIC would be pleased to be involved in discussions about IP education.

Recommendation 5: The government should work or support the work on the development of relevant metrics and IP professionals should be involved in these discussions.

Recommendation 6: The government and Parliament should continue to devote sufficient resources and time to ensuring that the Patent Act and the Trade-marks Act remain current and competitive. Parliament should adopt legislation that would allow the profession to manage a regulatory body.