Technology Transfer Structures and Public Research Organisations

The transfer of ownership of intellectual property (IP) from governments or researchers to institutions has given PROs incentives to develop technology transfer or licensing offices (TTOs or TLOs) to manage the transfer or sale of IP from universities to third parties, mainly firms. For the purpose of the OECD survey, technology transfer offices were defined as “those organisations or parts of an organisation which help staff at PROs to identify, protect, exploit and defend intellectual property”. This chapter presents the main results of the survey on the characteristics of TTOs in OECD countries, their organisation, activities and functions, and discusses the role of government in supporting TTO operations...