Best Practices in Tech Transfer

[cross-posted from madisonian.net]:

Licensing directors at 11 leading American research universities have released “In the Public Interest: Nine Points to Consider in Licensing University Technology,” a best-practices-style white paper summary of strategies for university-based technology transfer. The points are:

Point 1
Universities should reserve the right to practice licensed inventions
and to allow other non-profit and governmental organizations to do so

Point 2
Exclusive licenses should be structured in a manner that encourages technology development and use

Point 3
Strive to minimize the licensing of “future improvements”

Point 4
Universities should anticipate and help to manage technology transfer related conflicts of interest

Point 5
Ensure broad access to research tools

Point 6
Enforcement action should be carefully considered

Point 7
Be mindful of export regulations

Point 8
Be mindful of the implications of working with patent aggregators

Point 9
Consider including provisions that address unmet needs, such as those of neglected patient populations or geographic areas, giving particular attention to improved therapeutics, diagnostics and agricultural technologies for the developing world

Link: http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2007/march7/gifs/whitepaper.pdf

Will Pitt and CMU sign on?