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| Europe's dense network of Public Research Organisations carries out work of the highest standard. Its knowledge creation capacity (particularly of universities) has traditionally been measured by the number and quality of publications and trained students that emerge. In this Open Science Model, researchers collaborate closely, but often without regard to securing wider economic value and social benefits from the knowledge they are creating. Today, and particularly in Europe, more attention is being given to realising achieving this value and benefits. The trend towards new patterns of innovation (often referred to as Open Innovation) highlights that such new opportunities exist and can be realised. |
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| Gaining the full benefits of Open Science and Open Innovation requires some changes in the way that knowledge generated by PROs is handled and protected. To the question Why should these PROs protect intellectual property, appropriate answers are To encourage the economic applications of their discoveries for the benefit of the public and To make the research function more attractive and better supported. To the question How should this property be protected, it is appropriate that the PRO takes steps itself, provided these steps reflect good understanding of where and how the benefits can accrue. A blanket policy of patent protection is unlikely to be appropriate for an institute any more than for a company, since these patents have to be managed and in some way applied before they will create value. |
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Examination of successful collaborations in the USA and Europe shows that sustainable win-win structures can be obtained, which:
- Produce good science;
- Publish results without unreasonable delay;
- Contribute to the general education and training of new graduates; and
- Generate valuable intellectual property that supports innovation by private sector partners
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By the same token, the commonest sources of difficulties concern:
- Lack of professionalism on both sides, including poor project and IP management;
- Diverging interests and cultures and volatile relationships;
- Problems over speed of negotiation, ownership of results and exclusivity;
- Compensation for indirect costs and background knowledge;
- Fair returns in the event of successful commercialisation.
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