CIHE Engineering & Manufacturing Task Force urges universities to share ideas freely

"The Engineering & Manufacturing Taskforce, established last year by the Council for Industry and Higher Education, launched its inaugural report today: Powering Up; Business and Universities Collaborating for Manufacturing Competitiveness in the New Industrial Revolution. This report urges UK universities to open their knowledge banks and to give more of their ideas away free of charge....The Council’s Task Force, with senior figures from BAE Systems, EADS, BG Group and the National Grid, says universities should “open their digital doors” and make research and ideas not currently being used freely accessible on the internet. Simon Bradley, vice-president of EADS, said to gain greater access to universities’ knowledge, ideas and creativity was vital for manufacturing: “Our Taskforce has found that the simple act of universities opening their vast knowledge banks and providing free access to their intellectual property would have the single biggest impact on accelerating the capability and growth of smart manufacturing in the country.” The council calls on all universities to follow Glasgow University, which last year pioneered an initiative to give away intellectual property. Glasgow hopes to have signed up to 50 contracts with companies by the summer. Revenue from resulting consultancy and collaboration contracts is expected to exceed the amount that might have been made by selling ideas...."