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UCC performs strongly in the 2023 Annual Knowledge Transfer Survey
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UCC has featured in the top 3 rankings for almost all technology transfer outputs in Knowledge Transfer Ireland’s (KTI) 2023 Annual Knowledge Transfer Survey.
The Annual Knowledge Transfer Survey is a comprehensive report on knowledge transfer activities in Ireland, published annually by KTI. The survey, which collects data from Ireland’s Higher Education Institutes including eight Universities, five Technological Universities, two Institutes of Technology and two Colleges, also incorporates contributions from Teagasc, the Marine Institute and Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR).
The mission of Knowledge Transfer Ireland, which sits Enterprise Ireland, is to support business and the research base to maximise innovation from State funded research by getting technology, ideas and expertise into the hands of business, swiftly and easily for the benefit of the public and the economy.
Overall, UCC is in the top 3 universities for almost all outputs. It was first for LOAs (Licences, Options and Assignments - instances where intellectual property (IP) results were transferred or agreed to be transferred from UCC to another party for the purpose of commercialisation). UCC was also the top university for research expenditure derived from industry.
Key UCC statistics from the report include:
- Number 1 Irish university for LOAs (35)
- €12.5M research expenditure was derived from industry – the highest of any university in Ireland in 2023
- 2nd highest number of staff or student start-ups established during 2023 in an Irish university (4)
- 2nd highest total number of new patent applications filed during the year 2023 in an Irish university (15)
- Joint 2nd Irish university for the number of spin-outs established during the year 2023 (4)
- The number 3 Irish university for consultancy agreements with industry (20)
UCC spin-out company The WellSchools Network was also featured as a case study in the report, as an exemplar of company creation in the University.
“The fact that UCC is top in Licences, Options and Assignments (LOAs) and research expenditure derived from industry indicates the deep-rooted collaborations with industry partners and the relevance of UCC research to Irish and global businesses. I would like to thank the UCC research community and UCC Innovation for ensuring that UCC research is commercialised in global markets” said Prof John Cryan, Vice President for Research and Innovation in UCC.
According to Dr. Christian Stafford, Head of Knowledge Transfer Ireland and Head of R&I Stakeholder Engagement, Enterprise Ireland, “Overall, the AKTS survey is positive and represents a strong baseline from which further impact can be achieved in the coming years. Impact 2030 holds significant ambitions for the research and innovation sector, and it is vital that all stakeholders, in academia, industry and government continue to work in partnership to ensure the knowledge transfer system in Ireland is as high impact and productive as possible”
The Annual Knowledge Transfer Survey provides valuable insights into the progress and trends in Ireland’s research and innovation ecosystem. The findings underscore the importance of collaboration between academia and industry in driving economic growth and fostering innovation. The survey can be read in full here.