annual report/2006 - University of Melbourne

knowledge transfer/
Multimedia Licensing &
Technology Contracts Unit
(MLTCU)
During the year MLTCU continued to
be responsible for the management of
intellectual property issues, contractual
negotiations and agreements relating to
educational courseware and specialised
software technologies including
multimedia, and for their showcasing
and commercial distribution.
The University now has a strong
reputation and global presence for its
courseware materials and software
technologies, with product reach
extending though Europe to South and
North America, to South-East Asia, and
to the Middle East. University software
products featured prominently at the
2006 UK BETT Educational Technologies
Show in London.
Licensees of educational courseware
and software products include major
Australian and international private and
public sector organisations.
School of Enterprise
The School of Enterprise provides
customised education to the business
sector. In 2006 the School’s academic
and business operations were
consolidated into the University’s
processes, enabling the School to
capitalise on the increasing demand
nationally and internationally for tailored
corporate programs.
During the year the School expanded
its programs and services to involve
individual staff and departments from all
faculties of the University. Activity in the
Malaysian corporate market increased
and there was flow on to Indonesia.
Activity in association with specific
industry associations in the health
education sector also increased, as did
success in customised education and
other service contracts with State and
Federal government departments.
More than 500 postgraduate students
enrolled in courses during the year,
55 percent domestic and 45 percent
international.
Positioning for the Future
Growing Esteem recognises that the
University must improve its capacity
to commercialise. During the year
a comprehensive review of the
University’s commercialisation activities
resulted in the development of a
comprehensive new Commercialisation
Strategy containing recommendations
with respect to:
• Objectives the University should set
for commercialisation;
• Structures, policies and processes to
improve the efficiency, effectiveness
and governance of commercialisation
activities;
• Operational improvements, including
potential new initiatives to enhance
commercialisation activities; and
• Performance and funding targets.
The Strategy was approved by Council
for implementation in 2007.
Moreover, in late 2006, after
extensive consultation, Council
adopted a new approach to the
management of intellectual property,
aimed at simplifying the process of
commercialisation whilst retaining
strong incentives for academic staff
to get involved. Through a revised
Intellectual Property statute, the
University asserts ownership of
all intellectual property, other than
scholarly works, created by academic
staff. The benefits of exploiting IP are
shared between the University and the
creator. This change is congruent with
Commonwealth law, and reflects the
expectations of national granting bodies.
A revised Invention Disclosure policy
was also adopted.
External Partnerships
Strategic Priorities
• Developing partnerships with
business, government and
international bodies
• Investing in development
and fundraising
Achievements
A strategic rethink about partnerships
with business, government and external
groups was explored throughout 2006.
The University seeks to build strong
partnerships with business and the
community, based on a shared vision
where the University can add its
intellectual base, expertise, and energy
to the strengths of its partners in order
to address significant community
outcomes. The University began 2006
by redefining relationships, connecting
with external groups in a more strategic
and systematic manner. The University’s
long-standing relationship with
Australia’s largest biopharmaceutical
company, CSL Limited, was
strengthened during the year when
CSL entered into a research innovation
partnership agreement providing for
up to 50 of its scientists to relocate
to the Bio21 Institute. Two-way, mutually
beneficial interaction will be a major
focus for 2007.
Investments in development and
fundraising are discussed in Section 7
of Binding the Strands Together on p 57.
Outlook
Coming to terms with what knowledge
transfer means for the University has
led to the development of a first broad
framework which will guide progress
in 2007. Embedding knowledge transfer
will be the focus for 2007. This will
involve not just changes in University
curriculum to build a knowledge transfer
component into new generation degrees,
research, processes and operations, but
also launching a new set of knowledge
transfer programs. Commercialisation
investment and outcomes will be
boosted through operational
improvements and new initiatives under
the Commercialisation Strategy.
The University of Melbourne Annual Report 2006
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