UUTech & UUConsult

1. UUTech & UUConsult Joel Ferguson UUTech & UUConsult 2007 www.uutech.co.uk

2. Overview • Introduction to UUTECH & UUConsult • UUTech’s Role and Responsibilities • Technology Transfer/commercialisation • About UUConsult

3. UUTech – Broad Purpose “Responsible for capitalising on commercial opportunities emanating from the research base at the University of Ulster” Commercialisation of Research Consultancy Process

4. Overview of UUTech • 100% UU Wholly Owned Subsidiary • Commercial purpose and focus • 17 “associated” companies • 4 “priority” spinouts/start-ups • 30-40 technology disclosures per annum • Portfolio of patented technologies • Manage UU Consultancy (£1.3m this year)

5. UUTech - Commercialisation of Research • Encourage and manage ideas or “Disclosures” • Evaluate and develop market, IP and technical potential • Develop from concept to commercial proposition – “technology translation” • Source and secure funding • Commercialise and exploit e.g.License, Spin-out, Joint Venture… • Review of Research Contract - IP clauses • Manage all aspects of consultancy

6. About UUConsult Focuses on knowledge transfer with responsibility for managing consultancy services across the University Division of UUTech, the University’s wholly owned technology and knowledge transfer company UUConsult Acts as a conduit between business and academia- provides valuable back and front end operations to ensure a mutually satisfactory consultancy experience by both client and consultant. Operations managed & supported by: • Support of 2 Innovation Services staff • Administration coordinated by Consultancy Services Administrator Provides a resource for both academia and business to facilitate consultancy contracts.

7. About Consultancy • New intellectual property is not developed during a consultancy assignment. • Contract where a consultant (academic) provides a defined service to a client (external party) based on the client’s articulated need. • Transfer of knowledge to address a client’s articulated need. The activity undertaken to meet the client’s need is not “creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge.” • It is unusual for consultancy assignments to generate research publications; however, it may be possible to negotiate publications in some cases. • The service provided produces a set of deliverables for which the client pays an agreed consulting fee. In general, the deliverables produced are the property of the client. • In general, consultancy assignments are short in nature. However it is possible to undertake consultancy assignments over a longer time period where the actual time to be spent (days) is agreed per month.

8. Benefits of Engaging in Consultancy Supplement university salary through consultancy income Save consultancy monies in a cost code which can be spent for university purposes Support economic, social and creative development of private, public, voluntary and charitable sectors in Northern Ireland Raise profileof expertise in the marketplace Practical application of knowledge derived from research or teaching portfolios Draw from ‘live’ examples from consultancy experience in lectures Consultancy activity recognised under the academic enterprise criterion for promotion Joel Ferguson j.ferguson@ulster.ac.uk www.uutech.co.uk

9. Consultancy Priorities • Value – charging the client the market rate, not any rate • Quality – matching skills with client need to drive out valuable solutions • Channel – developing the right kind of business • Private sector clients • Consultancy Houses e.g. PwC, Deloitte, KPMG, • Multi-disciplinary teams • Clusters – ‘virtual centres of excellence’ • Support – working with you to make it happen

10. Services to Academics Back End Operations • Providing professional indemnity insurance cover for academics engaging in university consultancy • Processing and maintaining up-to-date files on each consultancy project • Invoicing the client and if necessary, chasing late payments • Organising payment either to salaries/wages or to the consultancy cost centre code located in the Research Office

11. Services to Academics Front End Operations • Marketing and selling UU expertise in regional, national and international marketplaces • Negotiating and advising on consultancy fee rates • Advising academicson the stages involved in consultancy activity • Advising academics on contractual arrangements including the scope (number of days based on approach) of the project • Marketing clusters • Advising academics on the University’s Policy for consultancy

12. Consultancy Policy Policy for sets a maximum of 30 days per year for academics to engage in consultancy Clear mandate from university supporting consultancy and Third Mission activities Policy sets clear guidelines in relation to consultancy activity Policy is reward-led and consultant-centred 10% to Schools from consultancy revenues Fee in cost code is seen as a positive alternative – proposed policy for safeguarding of cost code monies Academic enterprise – criterion for promotion Back and front end operations available to academics supported by UUTech resource to reinforce the UUTech 20% as value for money