University wants rights to all staff research

Proposals to strengthen the intellectual property rights (IPR) of Cambridge University could stifle UK technology innovation, opponents are warning.

The institution is balloting senior staff and academics on the centralisation of intellect property policy, which would allow it to negotiate the rights to any patentable innovations its staff discover, regardless of where its funding originated.

‘The university’s current policy states that intellectual property rights from externally funded research, such as that funded by research councils and charities, is owned by the university,’ said a Cambridge spokesman.

Over the next two weeks, governing members will decide if this ownership should be extended to all research, including privately-funded breakthroughs.

But opponents say the change will undermine the autonomy of academics and discourage venture capital firms from investing in innovative schemes and new companies.

Cambridge professor Ross Anderson, representing the Campaign for Cambridge Freedoms, which is seeking to amend the proposals, said: ‘You are not going to have a successful UK plc if you have a university that locks down its intellectual property.

‘An attempt to impose a one-size-fits-all policy is foolish and damaging for new areas of research, such as computing.’

Jack Lang, entrepreneur in residence at the Judge Business School of Cambridge, says innovators could be deterred.

‘These proposals will discourage startups because they will introduce bureaucratic delays, greatly complicating the process, and will reduce the incentive and rewards,’ he said.

Nick Kalisperas, director of IT trade body Intellect, said: ‘We want to see the ideas that are generated by academia exploited as quickly as possible.

‘But it is important that the university finds a solution which ensures an appropriate balance is struck between its needs and those of the economy.’

The university’s existing IPR administrator, the Technology Transfer Office, would manage the new system if it is accepted.