CEFRIEL: an innovative approach to University-industry cooperation in information technologies

The author describes the organization of research in the CEFRIEL Center and discusses the management of intellectual property (industry, center, faculty, students). The CEFRIEL Consortium operates through a center devoted to both research and education in the field of information technologies (computer and communication). Both advanced and permanent educational activities are targeted, together with cooperative research activities oriented toward medium-/long-term applications. An innovative form of implementation was conceived for the center's operation. The basic idea consists of the creation of a research center with both research resident employees of the sponsoring firms and research employees of the center itself. Faculty members visit the center for research and teaching purposes. Lessons learned at CEFRIEL are described.<>