## Comprehensive evaluation of intellectual property strategy and the industry-academic-government collaboration system that enable universities to give back the fruits of their research to society

### 1. Background and Aim

According to the Third Science and Technology Basic Plan (March 2006) and Innovation 25 (June 2007), the industry-academic-government collaboration system which generates innovations needs further strengthening. In addition, Japan’s industry-academic-government collaboration is moving from the stage of system construction (system revision, etc.) to the result stage where the system runs efficiently and generates innovation. Given this background, with a view to contributing to the examination of policies to be implemented in the future and planning new policies, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) made a comprehensive evaluation of the results of these policies for each industry after ascertaining past achievements and current conditions concerning industry-academic-government collaboration (Reference: Chapter 1 Section 1(3)). A report of the evaluation was published in December 2007 (Reference: http://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/hyouka/seido/005.htm).

### 2. Targets and method of evaluation

The comprehensive evaluation, which covers the period between the fiscal year when the Second Science and Technology Basic Plan started (FY2001) and FY2006, has been done regarding the intellectual property strategy and this industry-academic-government collaboration system that enable universities to give back the fruits of their research to society. This is a comprehensive evaluation of the results of the projects that MEXT carried out: (1) Project on Developing University Intellectual Property Headquarters, (2) Project on accelerating industry-academic-government collaboration, (3) Project on Collaborative Development of Innovative Seeds, (4) Project on Developing Creative Technology seeds, and (5) Project on Technology Transfer Support Center. The effect of each project is analyzed, specifically the analysis focuses on indicators for each milestone in the process until the results of university researches are put to practical use (Fig. 1: (1) – (4)), and the effect of projects in terms of the relationship with resource input amount is evaluated.

Fig. 1 Process in which the results of university researches are put to practical use

### 3. Result of evaluation

The industry-academic-government collaboration policies dealt in this evaluation, as well as the spin-off effects, play a major role in the development of an intellectual property strategy and industry-academic-government collaboration system that enable universities to give back the fruits of their research to society (Fig. 2 and 3).

The closer to the commercialization stage, the larger the contribution rate of these policies in industry-academic-government collaborative activities to the whole university. The aim of these policies, which is to give back the fruits of university research to society, has been achieved (Fig. 4).

Furthermore, while the estimated investment between FY2001 and FY2006 is around 110 billion yen, the direct total revenues earned from sales of products and joint research, etc. is projected to reach 230 billion yen, proving the cost-benefit performance of the ventures (Fig. 5).

On the other hand, the result of this evaluation shows us clearly that it is necessary to shift the focus from quantity to quality regarding further efforts and policies to promote systematic and strategic joint research and to commercialize research results.