University-led intellectual property commercialization: Cases of Malaysian universities

Abstract

Universities are at the center of innovation. The process through which innovation comes from universities to industries, also called intellectual property (IP) commercialization, tends to be affected by various factors and contexts. The broad objective of this study was to explore the current status of IP commercialization in Malaysian universities. This study aimed to examine IP commercialization’s intensity, its processes, and the factors affecting it in selected Malaysian universities. University Sains Malaysia (USM) and Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) were selected for convenience, and top-, middle-, and low-level university officials were interviewed using a semi-structured, in-depth interview protocol. The findings indicated that the intensity of IP commercialization depends on experience, industry linkage, properly planned research areas, and active researchers from various research institutes. This research will contribute to the existing understanding of IP commercialization in the Malaysian context, along with the necessary measures to take at the policy, industry, and university levels, in order to foster innovation and socioeconomic development in the country.