Making partners of universities and corporations

I commend Physics Today for its publication of the story “Universities and Industry Find Roadblocks to R&D Partnering” (Physics Today, May 2008, page 20 ). The author indicates a number of sore spots in university–industry partnerships, especially the negotiation of intellectual property rights in research agreements. The University–Industry Demonstration Partnership, of which I am a past president, has been doing important work in providing a neutral forum, under the auspices of the National Academies, for open and frank discussions between companies and universities about their differences and their commonalities. Issues for discussion include contract negotiations, IP rights in collaborative research, the Bayh–Dole Act, competition from overseas research organizations, Internal Revenue Service policies on the use of buildings financed through tax-exempt bonds, and open source collaborations. The UIDP is interested in improving and streamlining connections between companies and universities for their mutual benefit, the betterment of society and the country’s economic security.

The UIDP strives to remain objective and politically neutral. It fosters the free and open expression of frustrations so they do not silently eat away at mutual trust. The partnership encourages the parties to seek common ground and a shared vision and, when that doesn’t work, to look for adequate compromise.

Currently the UIDP has 94 members, one-third of them from industry. Our industrial membership is quite evenly spread over health and life sciences, chemicals and materials, information technology and consumer products manufacturing. Our university membership is also a mix of land grant colleges and universities, state and other public institutions of higher education, and private institutions.

The UIDP hopes to continue its work and to connect even more companies and academic institutions.