FITT Toolbox: Technology Transfer Guide for Research Teams
1. Technology Transfer Guide for Research
Teams
FITT
– Fostering Interregional Exchange in ICT Technology Transfer –
www.FITT-for-Innovation.eu
Except where otherwise noted, this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
2. Transfer awareness actions
Measures to increase transfer awareness among researchers
Designed and implemented recently by common efforts of technology transfer
and communication officers
Two complementary elements:
Technology transfer guide for research teams – published in the format
of Q&A: answers to the fundamental questions that a researcher can ask about
transfer
Innovation Meetings – series of regional events based on presentation
of “success stories” and interactive sessions between researchers and TT officers
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3. Technology transfer guide for research teams
Paper publication: Guidelines for Technology Transfer addressed to the
Research Teams
Bilingual: French – English (multinational research teams)
Presented in the compact form of questions and answers, with concrete
examples
Covering the most common problems encountered by researchers and
information they need to get involved in transfer activities
Drafted and designed by a team composed of TT officers and communication
officers of INRIA headquarters
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4. TT guide for research teams
Sections:
Research – industry relations
Support available from TT office
Managing intellectual property
Source: ‘Guidelines for Technology Transfer Addressed to Research Teams’, INRIA
Collaborative projects involving industrial partners
Contact persons
Source: ‘Guidelines for Technology Transfer Addressed to Research Teams’, INRIA
Source: ‘Guidelines for Technology Transfer Addressed to Research Teams’, INRIA
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5. TT guide for research teams
Dissemination:
Paper version only:
- privileges direct contact and exchange (“hand to hand” distribution)
- avoids getting lost in the overloaded intranet
Printed guides are distributed among TT officers – to be used as a support in the
discussion, explanation, handed out to researchers for additional information
Up to the TT officer to find opportunities to distribute it
Handed out to researchers during talks with TT officers at Innovation Meetings
No general distribution – except during the welcome days for newcomers
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6. When?
Edition of the guide was finished in October 2010
It was printed and distributed to INRIA TT offices at the end of the year
It is supposed to be used continuously, in particular during events as
Innovation Mornings and welcome day for newcomers
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7. Who?
Stakeholders
INRIA headquarters:
- Transfer and Innovation Department
- Communication Department
TT and Communication officers in INRIA regional centres
Researchers, in particular young or newcomers
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8. Where?
Technology transfer guide
Disseminated both at the headquarters and in the regional centres
Disseminated during events and during informal meetings between
TT officers and researchers, according to their working routine
Source: ‘Guidelines for Technology Transfer Addressed to Research Teams’, INRIA
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9. Pros & Cons
PROs CONs
A set of basic information and contacts Due to the distribution channels,
for researchers, a practical tool for TT some of the researchers may never
officers get the guide
Natural selection of readers – only the Can be perceived as pushy towards
interested ones: technology transfer
- Who have received it during TT
related events
- Who have received it from a TT
officer on the occasion of TT
related discussion
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10. Why ?
Rationale:
Re-thinking the general measures for internal communication and
awareness creation
The idea was to have a comprehensive measure/programme including
a tool (paper guide) and a cycle of events (Innovation Meetings)
It was essential to reach young researchers and newcomers, usually
more open to transfer issues and curious about how the institute works
No “preaching”, but encouraging and supporting the interested ones
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11. Why ?
Impact:
INRIA’s experience in approaching researchers shows that:
- Young researchers are more flexible and can easier accept some new
ways of thinking and doing, while experienced researchers rarely
change their old habits
- It is important to choose well the target group; different types of
researchers exist and addressing all of them by the same measure is
less efficient
- There is a need of more focused actions instead of generalised ones,
even if they are going to reach fewer people
This approach is more about creating opportunities for interaction and
facilitating the first steps of researchers towards transfer initiatives
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12. Outcome
Both the guide and the regional events are quite recent and more
time is needed to get a complete feedback
It has been well received by all stakeholders so far
The real outcome in terms of raising awareness on technology
transfer among researchers will only be possible to observe in the
long term
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13. Outcome
Plans for the future:
300 copies of the guide have been distributed in each regional centre
It is going to be used by TT officers during the events and at all
convenient occasions
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14. Lessons Learned
While preparing the content of the guide, TT officers must consider their
field experience: what is the information that researchers most often miss
or search for?
It is important that TT and communication offices collaborate in order to
produce a professional communication tool.
At INRIA we have chosen a light and compact format for the guide: the
basic facts and explanations, completed with tips where to find more
information and support. We believe that this ensures its wider use
among researchers.
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15. Suggested Readings
Link to bibliography
Link to code book
Awareness, communication, people, researcher, technology transfer
office
Link to relevant websites
INRIA’s Transfer and Innovation Department website:
http://en.inria.fr/innovation/partnerships-transfer-of-technology
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