The three TUs will co-operate closely in innovation and knowledge transfer. This intention will be included as a separate chapter in the final version of the Sector plan Technology that is to appear next month.
The core of the intended harmonisation and co-operation rested until now on a 3TU Graduate School, the umbrella organisation for all technology education, and a 3TU Institute for Science & Technology in which all research is harmonised. A third arm is now added, called the 3TU-innovation lab, which should serve as one window for all innovative activities that the three universities until now were developing independently.
UT-rector Frans van Vught confirmed these new developments to this newspaper last week. It, for example, concerns setting up a uniform, low-threshold infrastructure for young starting companies with consistent regulations, and making facilities available to small and larger businesses quickly and flexibly. In addition the three TUs will co-operate more closely with each other in the field of patents.
Although the chapter needs to be fleshed out more, Van Vught imagines that the UT will share its knowledge and experience in the field of spin-offs and co-operation with industry with the other TUs and vice versa.
The model of the successful Twente TOP-regulation, which helps spin-offs set up their own company, would then also become available in Delft and Eindhoven. Furthermore, the patent policies of the three TUs will be harmonised.
In the area of entrepreneurialship the UT is a leader in the university world. Van Vught says that in light of the Sector plan he has no problems with sharing the UTÆs knowledge with the other TUs. Business, according to the Twente Rector, is closely following the progress of the committee-Hermans. æThey are positive about the plans presented earlier, but they did urgently request that knowledge valorisation was also included in detail.Æ
Van Vught admits that the activities within the club Hermans, after slowing down in December, have gained momentum again. A meeting with minister Nijs will take place shortly, to discuss the final concept of the Sector plan informally. Purpose of the exercise is to test the 3TU-plans on their political-administrative feasibility with the minister. If this is the case, the Sector plan will be presented to her formally, after which the publication follows. This is expected to happen in the first half of February.
The only real news in the final version of the plan is the innovation lab. Substantial changes to versions 1 (May last year) and 2 (October) are not expected. This also means that the so-called ædoorzettingsmachtÆ, the authority granted to the co-ordinating body of 3TU, will remain in the plan, though in more detail. A separate body, perhaps the chairmen of the executive boards, can use this significant authority if decisions have to be taken at a national level.
transl. DvA
