Open Knowledge & Technology Transfer in Publicly-Funded Research Bodies

Innovation is normally a source of market power, and technological change comes from the entrepreneurs. These individuals are the ones who have the technological needs that make things work in the economy of a country. In modern economies, companies cannot normally afford to rely entirely on their own research. Then, our economies are characterised as “learning economies” in which knowledge is a crucial resource and learning is one the most important process. This process is materialized in Technology Transfer, which consists of developing practical applications for the results of scientific research and commercialising them. Whatever the relationship is between the developer of technology and the one who can commercialise its results, Technology Transfer models varies widely. They can involve licensing agreements or setting up joint ventures and partnerships to share both the risks and rewards of bringing new technologies to market. Despite these models have been successful between companies (normally large private companies), the fact is that these models have failed, in many cases, for the transfer of knowledge between SMEs and publicly-funded research organisations, such as Universities and research centres. Many companies are developing open innovation approaches to R&D, combining in-house and external resources, and aiming to maximize economic value from their intellectual property, even when it is not directly linked to their core business. In particular, they have begun to treat public research as a strategic resource. The following are some aspects on the policies the European Union that tries to promote a more competitive Europe entrepreneurship by means of a knowledge-based economy and the efficiency of public-funded research. Setting the Scene: Background for Open Knowledge Transfer in Europe. Lisbon Strategy Since 2000, The Lisbon Strategy is the framework action and development plan for the European Union. Its aim is to make the EU "the most dynamic and competitive knowledge-based economy in the world capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion, and respect for the environment by 2010". In 2005, the European Commission refocused the Lisbon Strategy on actions that promote growth and jobs on the ground of social and environmental renewal, Innovation as the motor for economic change, and the “learning economy” European Commission Recommendations. The refocused Lisbon Strategy stresses the efforts to enable public research institutions to develop more effective links with industry, in particular SMEs. In 2007, The European Commission's Communication COM(2007) 182 “Improving knowledge transfer between research institutions and industry across Europe: embracing open innovation”, encourages scientific, technological and R&D interactions in Europe as a means of implementing the Lisbon Strategy. It states that: “Various "creative commons" approaches [...] can ensure a more effective dissemination of results [...] It is therefore important to ensure that researchers are aware of the benefits of both (traditional and open innovation) approaches and that decisions are made on the basis of socio-economic impact”. More recently in april 2008, The European Commission has launched the recommendation C(2008)1329 “on the management of intellectual property in knowledge transfer activities and Code of Practise for universities and other public research organisations”, C(2008)1329. It advises about the principles regarding collaborative and contract research compatibility, clarity, ownership and access rights. This aspects could be directly approached from the open innovation approach to facilitate the transference of knowledge between researchers and entrepreneurs. The Situation in Extremadura Region. The socio-economic context of Extremadura is conditioned by its low population density (over 1,000,000 inhabitants). It has historically been characterized by an agricultural-livestock-based economy, with high levels of emigration, and high unemployment rates. As the region lost the train of the industrial revolution, the main agents involved in Regional Development decided to make great efforts to develop a Global Strategy of Regional Socio- economic Development. In this sense the Regional Administration has identified areas of interest taking into account the present and further research needs. The Administration has also become an investor in Technology and Research creation by means of several innovative projects focused on Free/Open Software, open standards and Open Knowledge. The Extremadura Regional Government includes Free/Open knowledge as a priority in the 3 rd Regional Plan for Research, Development and Innovation. This is an instrument aimed at vitalising the regional R&D sector as a catalyst in strategic projects of research. This can be used to develop business lines based on the development of applications base on researching results of investigation. A Step Beyond. The following step is, obviously, the creation of a methodology to implement new paradigms that permit technology transfer based on open competitive collaboration, and a system for mutual sharing of knowledge and dissemination of publicly-funded research results, which is compatible with economically profitable products designing and commercialisation. From the Foundation for the Development of Science & Technology in Extremadura (FUNDECYT), we are setting a methodology for the proposal of Open Technology Transfer in Publicly-Funded Research Bodies. Our proposal will include several actions: Revision of present IPR system, and compatibility with Open Knowledge Transfer of ● Technology and coherence with transnational technology transfer Identification of successful cases as examples of good practises ● Formation of an Expert Board to asses and monitor on the mechanisms that are necessary ● for assure compatibility of Open Knowledge Transference and commercialisation