MONDAY, 27 DECEMBER 2010 16:20

By Ikmaluddin Ismail, CEO UKM Technology Sdn Bhd
Pix: Courtesy of Ikmaluddin Ismail

BANGI, 27 Dec. 2010 – Fifty technology transfer professionals from various universities in the nation were given an intensive hands-on training to prepare them for the business world.

Jointly organized by Multimedia Development Corporation Malaysia (MDec), the Centre for Collaborative Innovation of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and UKM Technology Sdn Bhd, the workshop from 13-16 December 2010 was conducted by Dr David Baghurst and Mr Terry Pollard, head and senior consultant of ISIS Enterprise, respectively.

ISIS Enterprise is a division of ISIS Innovation, the technology transfer company of the University of Oxford, United Kingdom (UK). Mr Pollard is also an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Centre for Collaborative Innovation of UKM.

The technology transfer professionals were from UKM, Universiti Putera Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Universiti Technology Malaysia (UTM), Multi-Media University (MMU), Universiti Tenaga (UNITEN) and Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL).

The hands-on workshop covered various aspects involved in the process of technology transfer including patenting, licensing, market research, sales & marketing, negotiations, spinning off companies as well as developing a business model and business plan.

The participants were also exposed to how ISIS Innovation conducts technology transfer at the University of Oxford, besides looking at the best practices in this business.

This “cradle to grave” approach allowed the participants to learn the whole chain of the technology transfer process from the start when the researcher discloses his or her invention to the university, to the end when the invention is commercialized via licensing or a spin-off company.

The participants were also divided into three groups where they were given case studies to evaluate before making their presentation.

Higher Education Minister Dato’ Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin made a short visit to the workshop, accompanied by UKM Vice Chancellor, Prof. Tan Sri Dato’ Sharifah Hapsah Syed Hasan Shahabuddin.