The University of Aberdeen will today (Tuesday June 10) hold a Technology Transfer Development Day. The day will promote ways in which academics can manage and market their innovative ideas and help them turn their research into commercial businesses.
The event is one of a series of seminars being organised by Research and Innovation, the University of Aberdeen's commercialisation department, aimed at promoting awareness amongst the research community on issues such as managing intellectual property, routes to commercialisation and company start-up.
Donald Mair of the Business and Innovation Unit at the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) which has sponsored this event explained that: "The BBSRC places great importance on the ability of scientists to recognise the value and commercial potential of their research and events of this type help to develop expertise in areas not normally accessible to the research community."
Both the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council and the University of Aberdeen recognise the importance of maximising the flow of knowledge between academia and business. However, it is acknowledged in the recent Scottish Executive Higher Education Review 2003 that the higher education and business sectors, including venture capitalists, share a concern "that each fails to properly understand and respond to the needs of the other."
Professor Dominic Houlihan, Vice Principal for Research and Commercialisation said: "The University of Aberdeen is whole-heartedly committed to the commercialisation of its research. Events such as the Technology Transfer Development Day provide invaluable information to University staff and students who are wanting to develop the commercial potential of their research and an opportunity to learn more about the commercialisation road map."