~Iri,n - Bayhdolecentral

Pamela Passman, JO, BetsyBrady, JO, and Bill Guidera, JO I 11
have implemented technology development policies of their own.
Coordinated international action not only would lessen the demands on U.S.
officials in supporting such initiatives but also would give the host developing
country the benefit of multiple perspectives on the types of intellectual
property policies, incentives, and licensing models that can be used to
actualize the goal of commercializing inventions arising from government­
sponsored research.
University Technology Transfer Offices
Universities-and particularly university technology transfer officials­
could also playa key role in this area. First, universities could advocate in
favor of government initiatives to assist developing countries in adopting
technology development policies, including initiatives such as those
described above. Universities could also sponsor officials from sister institu­
tions in developing countries for internships or short-term employment in
the university's technology transfer office.
Universities could work collectively on initiatives, such as through
AUTM or the Council on Governmental Relations, or perhaps in partnership
with the World Intellectual Property Organization, which has undertaken
several initiatives to help developing countries establish the legal and insti­
tutional frameworks needed to protect and enforce intellectual property
rights. For instance, AUTM could build upon its existing initiatives in this
area by creating an online portal through which developing countries or
other interested parties could obtain instructional materials, find links to
other resources, and pose questions to university technology transfer officials
in the United States. Universities could also establish fellowships or grants
for graduate students from developing countries to undertake advanced
study or research in areas relevant to technology development.
Although the options listed above arguably represent the gold standard
in developing-country outreach efforts, universities could also undertake less
resource-intensive initiatives. For instance, universities could sponsor seminars
or workshops, pairing the concepts of technology development and global
economic development and inviting speakers from government, education,
and the private sector. These seminars could explore ways in which licensing
of government-sponsored research might be relevant to the more urgent
issues confronting developing nations today, and how policies in this area
might provide a catalyst for domestic innovation and economic growth.