Joint software research between industry and academia

A model for industry-sponsored academic software research tha helps the sponsor gain tangible results quickly but respects the university's research mission is presented. Central to the model is joint effort to achieve a win-win situation for all participants. The key is the relationship between the university's principal investigator and the company's visiting scholar. The principal investigator initiates research contracts and is responsible for research results but, because he or she is an academic, may not have an industrial perspective. The company dispatches a technical representative, called the visiting scholar, to participate directly in the daily research. A research structure, relations with the sponsoring company, issues regarding environmental compatibility and funding amount and duration, and a reporting structure are all spelled out in the model. Legal recommendations are made with respect to confidentiality, copyrights and patents, export controls, and other issues. Other considerations that arise when writing a research contract are discussed.<
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