‘And Yet it Does Move!’ University Patenting and Licensing in Italy; Differences and Similarities in the Management of Technology Transfer Activities at European Level

Abstract

This study aims to analyse the patenting and licensing activities within the Italian university system moving from a reliable set of data. In particular, the aim of this paper is to represent – through the analysis of specific empirical evidence – the qualitative leap experienced by Italian universities over last years (period 2004-2007) in the field of the valorisation of the results of the scientific research. In order to address the research question, Italian TTOs’ patenting and licensing performances over the period 2004-2007 have been analysed and evaluated, by comparing them with corresponding evidence from other European countries. In particular, detailed annual data about the most important Italian universities’ technology transfer and patenting and licensing activities carried out by the TTOs have been collected by the authors through a specific national survey, promoted by Netval (the Italian university research valorisation network). This is the most updated, complete and reliable existing database on the issue of the research valorisation of scientific research carried out by Italian universities. With regard to the primary data about university patenting and licensing activities in other European countries, data collected through the annual surveys carried out in the same period at European level by ProTon Europe have been used with a specific focus on the results registered by the university TTOs in Spain, UK and Denmark. The empirical evidence shows that despite of technology transfer activities being quite recent in Italy if compared with other European countries, Italian TTOs’ performances are growing quite fast and are approaching European standards even if the same patenting and licensing activities are carried out within different conditions (legislative, financial and – of course – institutional framework). In fact, from the data processing, it has emerged that over the last few years the Italian university TTOs have significantly grown in terms of structure as well as of patenting and licensing performances. In our opinion this is a success story, achieved in a context which is far from being favourable to the national universities. Not only the financial resources of universities did not register any increase over the period surveyed, but also the university system as a whole has been heavily criticised.