Pro ton Europe

As European commissioner for research (1999-2004), Philippe Busquin noted that while Europe was most efficient in terms of research and publishing, the US and Japan did better when it came to “valorizing” results, i.e. developing laboratory findings on the market. In 2003, in order to make up for this shortcoming, the EU created “Pro Ton Europe,” the Public Research Organisation Technology Transfer Office Network, and Michel Morant, who is president of “Interface Entreprises-Université” at ULg, is its cuurent chair for two years.

Le 15e jour du mois: Could you introduce the association?

Michel Morant: Pro Ton is an association of national organizations such as “Lieu” in Belgium or “Curie” in France. Let me explain. In the Belgian entity called ‘Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles’, universities and Higher Education institutions each set up a unit for valorizinf research called Technology Transfer Office (TT O). Prompted by the Council of university presidents (Conseil des Recteurs des universités francophones de Belgique – Cref), these TT Os associated in a network that brings together universities and companies and is indeed called Liaison Entreprises- Universités – Lieu. It makes a coordinated approach to very technical issues possible. Our university and its ‘interface’ was one of the founding members of ProTon, along with KUL , UCL, and some fifty other European universities that are all on the cutting edge of such forwardlooking initiative.

Le 15e jour: What are Pro Ton’s missions?

M.M.: The first objective of the association is to support its members so that it can become a consistent system that favours the emergence of new technologies on the market. In concrete terms ProTon can rely on a database for good practices, detection, negotiating methods, protection policies, or for incubating spinoffs. It is in this last area that the University of Liege has most contributed, thus earning a deserved reputation within the organization. The association also carries out a dedicated lobbying of EU institutions to persuade them to support public research. Pro Ton is also a catalyst for European statistics, which can help to determine, say, how much universities contribute to innovation and to define as closely as possible what impact this contribution has on society at large. This is far from being easy!

Le 15e jour: What about intellectual property?

M.M.: Rules about intellectual property changed in the 1990s. In the wake of the United States where in 1981 the Bayh Dole Act had given universities and non-profit organizations control of their inventions, in Wallonia in 1997 the Ancion decree made it possible for universities to get involved in the economic sphere on a principle of partnership in innovation. From that point onward institutions stopped being subcontractors and became fullfledged partners. Large companies readily acknowledge this new reality in countries such as Belgium, the UK, the Netherlands or Germany. The process comes upon more resistance in France. But working hand in hand with universities is obviously a new situation for small and medium-sized businesses and one of the positive effects of the Marshall Plan for Wallonia is that it contributed to establishing partnership agreements. Within the agroindustrial Walloon pole Wagralim the local fruit syrup company Meurens, for instance, now carries out innovative projects in partnership with the University of Liege. Lieu has signed a charter with the Union wallonne des entreprises (Walloon Union of Companies) so as to define tpartnership modalities. The objective is always the same: speed up and secure research findings so that they can be used on the market, in the various fields in which we have expertise. This is the principle that guides Open Innovation.

Le 15e jour: Isn’t technology transfer a strange thing in a university context?

M.M.: Indeed! It is a very specific occupation that is neither scientific nor administrative stricto sensu, neither economic nor legal or commercial but all of these together. The Interface team mainly consists of scientists, engineers or physicians that have received an additional training in economics, business development, etc. Such multiple backgrounds are essential for a TT O’s credibility, since international benchmarking provides confirmation of a strong link between a TT O’s quality and its duration. In this respect Pro Ton insists that bodies and people be certified. We certainly work on it at the University of Liege. Nicole Atheunis and myself are the first two certified researchers in Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles.

Le 15e jour: What projects do you have for your term as chair of the board?

M.M.: Along with the Board I think that we have to comfort the position of associations in the new EU member states on the one hand and international recognition of our endeavours on the other. This is why the Commission charged ProTon with the development of a European certification system on which we are currently working. The challenge of achieving quality is significant too, particularly when you work with businesses. These are issues that will no doubt be debated on our annual Convention that is to be held in Liège from 19 to 21 september of this year.

Interview by Patricia Janssens
Translated by Christine Pagnoulle

Information at www.protoneurope.org