making KTP projects a success
According to the Technology Standards Board, 24% more KTP
projects were approved during 2008/09 than during the previous
year. With investment via KTP arrangements proving attractive
despite (or perhaps because of) the current economic climate, and
with the introduction of the new shorter KTPs in August 2009, it
seems likely that the near future will continue to see an increase
in the number of projects.
With the range of funded projects including such diverse
activities as marketing and product design, and covering all points
in between, the opportunity to leverage this resource is enormous
and open to nearly every business. For businesses the benefits are
clear – a cost-effective, proven means of accessing key skills and
expertise. For the university, however, the key to success lies in
the implementation.
A common perception of KTPs is that the project will strip
valuable intellectual property from the university at little return
to the university. However, a well drafted KTP agreement can (and
should) balance IP ownership, usage and commercialisation rights
along with addressing other key issues such as liability,
confidentiality, health and safety, employment rights and
insurance.
Despite the long history of the KTP programme, KTP agreements
are not standardised and continue to vary in quality from project
to project. An inadequate agreement can create considerable risk
for the university and this will only increase as the volume of
projects continues to grow.
One way to mitigate this risk is to impose greater rigor into
the documentation process. Consider:
- the development of a solid precedent agreement that is reviewed
annually;
- staff training on the agreement;
- the limitation of amendments (where possible) to standard
categories;
- the adoption of a structured form of requirements gathering so
that liabilities and obligations are clear at the outset.
Investing time in getting the agreement right helps pave the way
to a successful project.
