Generating $6 million within the past year from the commercialization of research, the University of Saskatchewan, like other universities all across the country, is looking to move technology out of the university and into the market place.
“We’re essentially taking a product or a service developed by the university and we’re finding a market where this product or service has significant value,” according to Glen Schuler, managing director of the U of S Industry Liaison Office.
Schuler said his office works with researchers to identify what research has “significant commercial potential.”
“We work with a lot of companies and a lot of the things that come in to us [from researchers], we license to companies who then go and sell it to customers,” said Schuler.
Arthur Schafer, director of the Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics at the University of Manitoba, said commercialization becomes an issue when universities choose to pursue research based on its commercial potential.
“If the income, the success, the expansion and the reputation of the universities come to hinge significantly on the commercialization of research, will that be the priority? Will we be expected to do and [be] rewarded to do research that can be commercialized as opposed to basic, fundamental, appreciative truth?” asked Schafer.
He said there is a trend amongst universities to focus on “translational research,” research that can be quickly commercialized and, in turn, bring money into the university.
“That kind of research in the long run may not be what’s beneficial to society. It may mean that universities’ real mission is subordinated. Money, resources, attention, reward and promotions are all siphoned away from scholars who are engaged in this curiosity driven, fundamental research — pure research.”
Schafer said universities could run into a conflict of interest when they become reliant on large corporations who “pour lots of money into the university, enabling new laboratories to be built and equipped with the latest and best equipment.”
“[The university] has to protect the truth, honestly, research integrity and the academic freedom of its researchers on the one hand, and now it may have a commercial or financial interest in stifling those researchers if they’re critical of the corporations,” he said.
Schuler said that for his office, transparency is important.
“We abide by very high ethical standards. When we’re doing our analysis, when we’re doing our evaluations, we’re keeping everybody informed. If people have questions we encourage them to come forward with those things,” said Schuler.
“You’re not doing it because you’re just out there to get some money. You’re doing it because you want that money to be used to enhance and advance your research agenda, your academic agenda.”
Digvir Jayas, vice-president (research) at the University of Manitoba said both basic and applied research is conducted at the U of M, and the decision is left up to the researcher.
“Some focus more on basic research, some focus more on applied research but most have a balance between basic and applied research. University does not dictate what kind of research should be done by a faculty member.”
Jayas said research agreements with corporate partners do not interfere with research.
“In our research agreements we ensure that researchers maintain the right to publish results and research progress of our students is not delayed,” said Jayas. “Research does not hinge on commercialization. Rather, research develops ideas which can be commercialized.”
Schafer wonders if universities will be able to protect academic freedom and promote research integrity regardless of the commercial implications that may have.
“If the university itself has a strong bias in favour of the corporation because the university is a partner in the profits from the research, will the university be vigilant at protecting research integrity?”
