Technology Transfer in Public Universities: Activities, Structures, and Outcomes in the Management of Their R&D Intangible Assets
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26422/RIPI.2025.2200.acoKeywords:
technology transfer, activities, structures, processes, outcomes, innovation, intangible assets, universities, managementAbstract
The objective of this research is to identify the actions that public universities in Ecuador use to leverage the results generated from R&D projects through technology transfer (TT) processes, and how the inventions generated are utilized by the external environment. The literature review highlights topics such as the importance of public policies in TT, universities' knowledge absorption capacity, intellectual property (IP) management, facilitators and barriers in TT, and the role of institutional structures like transfer offices and innovation spaces. A total of 34 public universities were analyzed. Data collection was conducted using secondary sources, such as institutional repositories, publicly accessible websites, and intellectual property databases. These sources provided information on guidelines, structures, activities, and results related to TT in universities. The results show that 91% of universities have strategic guidelines for innovation, but only 50% include actions to protect research results. In terms of TT structures, 32 universities have continuing education centers, and 82% have innovation hubs. Regarding intellectual property (IP) management, universities carry out activities such as patent applications and the creation of spin-offs or start-ups. However, only 21% have implemented comprehensive regulations covering innovation, IP, entrepreneurship, and TT. The main barriers are the lack of funding and the disconnection between universities and the productive sector. Regarding the conclusions, it is emphasized that, although universities are making progress in implementing TT guidelines, they still face challenges, especially in terms of IP protection and the commercialization of their inventions.
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