2011-NMMU-Research-Report - Research Management - Nelson ...

12 NMMU Research and Innovation Report 2011 - Department of Innovation Support and Technology Transfer
Department of Innovation Support
and Technology Transfer
Ms Jacqueline Barnett,
Director: Department of
Innovation Support
and Technology Transfer
The Department of Innovation Support and Technology Transfer is responsible for the protection and management
of intellectual property owned by the NMMU through the core activities of attracting and assessing invention
disclosures as well as patenting and other forms of intellectual property protection. Where appropriate, intellectual
property is assigned or licensed to a wholly-owned company of the NMMU that undertakes commercialisation
activities such as licensing and spin-out company formation. The Department also facilitates and negotiates
external, research-related grants and contracts, with specific emphasis on intellectual property ownership issues.
There were a number of innovation success stories in 2011: the NMMU attracted significant funding for
large, late-stage development projects, which revolve around some of its patents; some of the older projects
that have been commercialised through start-up companies are selling products and are on their way to
commercial success; and the NMMU is incubating design students who are starting their own businesses.
NMMU is the anchor institution for the Eastern Cape Regional Technology Transfer Office;
driving technology transfer at all Eastern Cape higher education institutions.
Together with these internal successes, the NMMU also played a role locally, regionally and nationally: the
Regional Innovation Forum was successfully launched with twelve local organisations, which recognise that
innovation is a key driver for local economic development; the NMMU initiated, and is the anchor institution
for, the Eastern Cape Regional Technology Transfer Office, driving technology transfer at all Eastern Cape higher
education institutions; and NMMU staff play a major role in the Southern African Research and Innovation
Management Association, the national association for research and innovation management leadership.
The NMMU continues to support innovation activities both in terms of the provision of expertise and
financially. This has seen an increase in disclosures every year as well as a 60% increase in the number of
provisional patent applications filed from 2010. These provisional patent applications become part of the
suite of over 30 projects managed by the Department to ensure the NMMU continues to make a contribution
to the innovation space for the benefit of South African society.