In this powerful personal essay, Leah reflects on her experience as one of the first openly transgender professionals in the field. The piece underscores the importance of visibility, solidarity, and the role of ASTP in fostering a more inclusive and equitable professional community.
The National Advisory Assessment Council (NAAC) is pleased to announce the publication of its latest comprehensive report, an in-depth expansion of the previously released white paper. This newly published document provides a thorough examination of key industry challenges, policy recommendations,…
The European Patent Office (EPO) Patent Index 2024 confirms Europe's strong commitment to innovation and knowledge transfer—despite economic uncertainty.
Despite growing awareness and progress, gender inequality continues to impact innovation across Europe — from representation in science and engineering to access to funding. Marking International Women’s Day, this article highlights key data on women's participation in innovation and explores…
The AgriFood SIG is back, with Andrew Carlin (EIT Food) as co-leader. To grow this initiative, we seek additional co-leaders and members passionate about agri-food innovation and knowledge exchange.
ASTP is proud to announce the launch of the first edition of the ASTP Impact Awards, designed to celebrate and reward outstanding achievements in knowledge transfer (KT). These awards recognise exceptional initiatives, successful collaborations, and impactful projects that drive innovation and…
Artificial intelligence and digital solutions are revolutionising knowledge transfer, making it faster, smarter, and more effective. ASTP is excited to introduce the first edition of the ASTP AI and Digital Innovations Awards, celebrating the trailblazing AI and digital tools that are transforming…
The ASTP 3rd Directors’ Forum, held on 6–7 February 2025 in Lille, France, gathered 31 KTO leaders from 12 countries to discuss AI’s impact on knowledge transfer. Key topics included AI tools, balancing automation with expertise, best practices, and policy strategies.
The European Patent Office (EPO) has initiated an online public consultation, open until 17 March, inviting input from a broad spectrum of stakeholders to shape the second biennial work plan (2026–2027) of its Observatory on Patents and Technology.
LifeArc is accepting applications for its 2025–2026 Knowledge Transfer Innovation Fellowship, a one-year programme for life scientists transitioning into technology transfer careers.
The 4th Interregional VIADUCT Meeting in Strasbourg gathered European stakeholders to discuss policy improvements and knowledge transfer for spin-off creation. The event featured expert talks, peer reviews, and study visits.
ASTP proudly announces the launch of its Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Toolkit – Adapted for Europe, an essential resource designed to empower Knowledge and Technology Transfer Offices (K/TTOs) across Europe with actionable strategies to promote equity, celebrate diversity, and foster…
The IMPAC3T-IP project is introducing Classical Plus, an expanded licensing model that goes beyond traditional patent-based approaches. By including copyrights, know-how, and digital assets, this framework enables a more inclusive and sustainable way to transfer research outputs across disciplines.…
A new study from the European Patent Office (EPO) explores how innovation ecosystems are shaping the future of oncology, with knowledge transfer playing a crucial role in bridging the gap between research and market-ready solutions. New Frontiers in Oncology: An Evolving Innovation Ecosystem…
The INNOV-8-2-CREATE project is proud to announce the publication of its comprehensive toolkit, marking the culmination of a dedicated effort to enhance Europe's innovation ecosystem. This milestone represents a key achievement in fostering a more connected, inclusive, and efficient environment for…
ASTP is thrilled to invite the global knowledge transfer community to its 2025 Annual Conference, marking a significant milestone—25 years of growing the profession. This landmark event is scheduled for May 21–23, 2025, in the historic city of Vilnius, Lithuania. The journey continues in grand…
Inteum Company is offering a unique opportunity to attend the ASTP 2025 Annual Conference in Vilnius, Lithuania, from 21–23 May 2025. This scholarship is designed to support first-time attendees from organisations in the UK or EU with ASTP membership.
PraxisAuril, the UK's leading association for Knowledge Exchange (KE) professionals, will rebrand this December as Knowledge Exchange UK (KEUK), marking an exciting evolution that reflects the organisation’s commitment to advancing knowledge exchange practices across the UK and beyond.
The EPO-IEA report reveals a sevenfold increase in grid-related patents since 2005, driven by innovations in smart grids, AI, and sustainability. Highlighting Europe’s leadership, it identifies challenges in expanding connections, enhancing flexibility, and ensuring cybersecurity, emphasising…
Do you have the drive and vision to help ASTP further develop as the best members association for KTOs across Europe?
ASTP is launching a Spin-Off Special Interest Group (SIG) to support university and research spin-offs across Europe. Led by Florian Kirschenhofer from Max Planck Innovation, the SIG will be a platform for sharing best practices in start-up creation and support.
Explore ASTP's White Paper, endorsed by NAAC, “Catalysing Change: Exploring trends and strategies to enhance the spin-off process in Europe”. Learn strategies for innovation, knowledge transfer, and robust support systems to enhance research institutes' impact on competitiveness and development.
Empowering sustainable innovation: how soft skills drive collaboration between academia and business
As we are slowly moving from SSHA to SHAPE, it makes sense to dive deeper into the term’s origins. Starting with the most important detail, the term SHAPE stands for ‘Social sciences, Humanities and the Arts for People and the Economy’. It was coined by Professor Julia Black, Warden of…
The conversation around mental health has been gaining momentum, but in the Knowledge Transfer (KT) sector, it often remains a taboo subject. The ASTP Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Special Interest Group (EDI SIG) is working to change that by shining a light on the importance of mental…
Disruptive technologies and the future of innovation seem to increasingly rely on academic research. The role of universities in technology transfer—through licensing, research contracts, spin-out companies and collaborative projects—continues to grow. This is especially true in cutting-edge…
The EIT HEI Initiative Call for Proposals 2024 has a strong focus on enhancing the quality and competitiveness of European higher education. It will improve research and knowledge transfer from higher education and support business creation through strengthening collaboration between HEIs and…
The EU-funded project IMPAC3T-IP is leading an initiative to revolutionise IP licensing. By identifying gaps in current licensing tools and exploring new technological solutions, the project aims to create innovative tools for IP professionals. To achieve this, they are seeking input from those…
The European Patent Office (EPO) will host an online event, Patents and Innovation in European Universities, on 22 October 2024. The event will explore how to drive innovation from university labs and examine key trends in European universities. Over 15 experts, including economists and university…
Navigating the multifaceted role of a KT Professional: Insights from LifeArc Fellows
The UKRI Glossary of EDI Terms provides clear definitions of key terms related to equality, diversity, and inclusion. It supports a shared understanding within the research and innovation community, fostering inclusive practices and communication by clarifying complex concepts and terminology in…
From September 2024 until May 2025 on the last Tuesday of the month, ASTP's BioMedical SIG invites you to participate in the new webinar series: 'From research and innovation to development: how to plan and execute translational projects in life sciences'.
IMPAC3T-IP is developing a toolkit comprising case studies, legal templates, and decision trees. Additionally, the project prioritises competence building, equipping knowledge transfer professionals with the skills needed to navigate these emerging challenges.
Aimed at individuals 30 and under, the Prize showcases the transformative power of youth-driven solutions and recognises the remarkable young people paving the way to a more sustainable future.
Special Interest Group (SIGs) are exclusive communities of ASTP members. Join one, share knowledge and network with other KT professionals in your field.
Water scarcity and management are global issues exacerbated by climate change. In Europe, 12% of the population is at flood risk, and 30% in southern regions face permanent water stress. Technological innovation is crucial for tackling these challenges. The EPO’s Observatory on Patents and…
The 2024 EPO study analyses trends in water-related innovation for provision and protection, highlighting Europe's leadership, with Spain excelling. Though historically industry-led, universities and public research organisations are advancing. Innovation is growing but must accelerate to meet…
The 2023 ASTP Executive Data Report for the financial year 2021 (FY2011) is now published and available to everyone. This report contains data of 674 KTOs from 21 European countries. It includes 97 aggregated KTO datasets from one National Association and 577 datasets from responding KTOs.
On 11th and 12th June 2024, the VIADUCT project partners and stakeholders gathered in Tampere, Finland, for the third Interregional Project Meeting and Site Visit.
Are you a young KT professional, within higher education and/or a research organisation, under 30 years old who can demonstrate an interest in self-improvement and honing their KT skills? Consider applying for this scholarship.
On Wednesday, 22 May, and Thursday, 23 May, the Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts Special Interest Group (SSHA SIG) held two impactful workshops at the ASTP Annual Conference in Seville, Spain.
Knowledge transfer offices are uniquely positioned to play a pivotal role in augmenting change in order to make the innovation ecosystem more inclusive and equitable. But as a knowledge transfer office, what can you do concretely to incorporate equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) into your…
On Wednesday, 22 May, the Digital Innovation Special Interest Group (DI SIG) held an interactive workshop as part of the ASTP Annual Conference in Seville, Spain. The workshop, led by DI SIG coordinators Malcolm, Sigmar, Annemieke, Christoph, and Florian, saw an impressive attendance of over 100…
On the initiative of Legal SIG members from ETH Zurich, ASTP members interested in reviving the Legal SIG met during ASTP’s Annual Conference in Seville in May 2024.
In the current landscape of knowledge transfer, traditional methods are enduring a significant shift. As innovators, content creators and owners (researchers, engineers, artists, technical developers, etc.) seek to extract value from their intellectual assets in innovative ways, projects like…
Receive mentoring from industry experts in big pharma, academia and healthcare as you learn to identify healthcare needs, build a dynamic team, create a business model, and pitch your ideas like a pro.
Opened by departing President, Christophe Haunold, members were updated on the challenges and successes of the past year.
Have you tested a practice which is transforming knowledge and research results into practical solutions creating societal and/or economic value?
The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) approves its entry into 3 spin-offs driven by the implementation of a new technology transfer procedure
Who is responsible for managing technology transfer?
The Young Universities for the Future of Europe (YUFE) alliance, which is one of the European University Alliances, has developed a common YUFE vision text for a more demand-driven approach to Knowledge Valorisation (KV).
Support the Biomedical Special Interest Group by contributing to their survey.
Take Part in Research Management Roadmap survey ?for the chance to share your opinions on the research?management profession.
Lifelong ASTP friends Ascenion has agreed to sell portfolio company Cardior Pharmaceuticals to Novo Nordisk
New Codes of Practice for industry-academia co-creation and citizen engagement for knowledge valorisation
This March (2024), members of the ASTP team participated in the second ambassadors meeting of European project RM Roadmap Project.
Mutual Learning Exercise (MLE) on Knowledge Valorisation
The first European law on industrial property, the so-called Patent Statute, was approved in Venice in 1474 and will celebrate its 550 years on 19 March 2024.
Tech transfer experts launch new company to further the education and empowerment of university IP managers
Call for Licensing Professionals to join Consultation Group in an EU project?
The European Commission’s DG Research and Innovation hosted the stakeholder event “Making research results work for society”
On 20th November ASTP hosted the sixth edition of the ASTP-EU Forum, which saw the participation of 100+ professionals across Europe to discuss the latest developments in policies that affect knowledge and technology transfer community.
Boosting Productivity and Output Quality of Knowledge Workers through AI Tools
INNOV-8-2-CREATE fosters collaboration among innovation stakeholders, delivering a transnational, transdisciplinary, pre-accelerator programme. The programme enables new entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds to be trained and supported on their innovation journey.
Apply to become an RM Roadmap Thematic Ambassador | Deadline 13/12/23
ASTP European Annual Survey is open and we are collecting data on Knowledge Transfer activities and outputs.
On November 9th, the partners of the KT Soft Skills Erasmus+ project met online to discuss the results of the Validation of the KTSoftSkills Investigation Report.
Take the survey to help RM Roadmap get a comprehensive picture of the current situation of Research Managers (RMs) across Europe.
Art Bos, Head of Business Development and Knowledge Transfer at Erasmus University Rotterdam has been appointed as the President-elect by his fellow ASTP Board members. Art has been a member of the ASTP Board since May 2023.
The merger will enable academia and industry to benefit from one destination to start new partnerships
ASTP Member, Paul Van Dun, chats to 4iP Councils podcast series IP Stories
The European Patent Office (EPO) has introduced a Unitary Patent dashboard, providing real-time data that confirms the growing confidence in the new patent system.
Engage on the new EARMA online co-creation space. Free conference registration.
Participate in European stakeholder events. Join the first onsite and online event Making Research Results Work for Society on 26 October 2023 in Brussels. Registrations are now open.
Enhancing Knowledge Transfer Offices: Addressing Information Needs and Challenges in Reporting to Stakeholders
ASTP President, Christophe Haunold, chats to Global University Venturings podcast series Talking Tech Transfer.
ASTP stalwart and Board Member, Tom Flanagan, chats to Global University Venturings podcast series Talking Tech Transfer.
Tom Flanagan, director of enterprise and commercialisation at NovaUCD, shares the story behind Wayflyer, Ireland’s first spinout unicorn, in the Talking Tech Transfer podcast. He offers insights into the ecommerce company’s journey and the role of University College Dublin’s innovation office…
On June 29th, 2023, the KT SoftSkills partners gathered in Leiden, the Netherlands, for their highly anticipated second face-to-face project meeting. This meeting aimed to strategize and chart the course for the upcoming six months of the project, marking a crucial phase in its development.
Academia and Industry: Introduction to Tech Transfer and Industrial Collaborations
On May 24-26 2023, ASTP Annual Conference Joint Action for Global Impact took place in Tallinn, Estonia.
Alongside with the new knowledge valorisation paradigm, the EC has launched the Mutual Learning Exercise on Knowledge Valorisation.
ASTP has launched the idea to revitalise an initiative that was developed in the year 2000 in collaboration with EUA, EARTO and EIRMA, namely a Handbook on Responsible Partnering.
ASTP has been accepted as member of the Coalition that has been recently established to work on the reform of research assessment in order to recognize the diverse outputs, practices and activities that maximize the quality and impact of research.
In the context of EU competition policy, the European Commission launched a consultation to gather evidence on the functioning of the Technology Transfer Block Exemption Regulation (TT-BER) and the Technology Transfer Guidelines.
The award targets young KT professionals (at HE and/or research organizations) under the age of 30 who can demonstrate an interest in self-improvement and honing their KT skills.
The European Commission must ensure that fairness applies to both EIC beneficiaries and EIC inventors and that these returns are in line with state aid rules and competition law.
The Horizon Europe-funded RM Roadmap project has appointed 120 national ambassadors to help design the future of the research management profession across the European Research Area and beyond.
On 4 July in Valencia, Avelino Corma Canós was recognised for his work on synthetic catalysts to improve chemical reactions.His inventions are used today in the energy, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries among others.
In early June 2023, VIADUCT project partners and invited local stakeholders, met in Timisoara (Romania), the European Capital of Culture 2023, for the 1st Inter-Regional Thematic Workshop (IRTW), 2nd Inter Regional Study Visit (IRSV) and 2nd Steering Committee (SC).
KTSoftSkills is a three-year project, co-funded by the Erasmus Plus Programme of the European Union. It aims to remove barriers between HEIs and external partners, by supporting and improving their mutual understanding and negotiation processes.
António Campinos, President of the European Patent Office (EPO), and Christophe Haunold, President of the Association of European Science and Technology Transfer Professionals (ASTP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Enjoy this Executive Data Report of ASTP KT Metrics 2022, on the European Knowledge landscape, Financial Year 2020
An initial attempt to KT Metrics harmonisation—Researchers from University of Cambridge, Radboud University, and the University of Bristol have launched a new research project to study the different emerging roles of KTOs/TTOs in Europe and their impact on KT performance.
European Inventor Award 2023 finalists
From 22-23 March 2023, the consortium partners working together on the Interreg Europe project, VIADUCT, met to kick-off the project at the University of Zaragoza, Spain.
Innovation stays strong: patent applications in Europe continue to grow in 2022
RM Roadmap - “Creating Framework Conditions for Research Management to Strengthen the European Research Area”
On 4th May 2023 ASTP will host the fifth edition of the ASTP-EU Forum.
Communities on industry-academia collaboration and citizen engagement have recently launched
The first two codes of practice implementing the new Guiding Principles for Knowledge Valorisation are now published.
Following the recent launch of ASTP’s Special Interest Group on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), we are happy to further announce our support and commitment in creating an inclusive environment to the diverse KE/KT community.
In May this year ASTP will head to Estonias capital Tallinn. We have had awesome sponsorship to help make it a success.
Everyone wants to be “open”! However, in the sphere of research, innovation and exploitation, there is often confusion, conflation and misunderstanding of these terms, as well as the relationship between openness, IP rights, and commercial use.
In preparation for the composition of the ASTP Board starting May 2023, we invite expressions of interest.
The EU Knowledge Valorisation Week runs from 25 April to 28 April 2023
Join the new EDI Special Interest Group (SIG)
Codes of practice on the management of intellectual assets and on standardisation published.
To support the implementation of the recently adopted Guiding principles for knowledge valorization, the European Commission (DG Research and Innovation) is inviting stakeholders with an interest in industry-academia collaboration and citizen engagement to join new communities to co-create two…
ASTP alongside seven other European institutions are announced as the team behind ERA Shuttle, a Horizon Europe programme for supporting career development for innovators and cross-sectoral collaboration.
Since staring in 2021, FIT-4-NMP has achieved both strategic and targeted results. Most importantly, 42 proposals involving talented newcomers have been supported with up to 15 of them successfully evaluated and selected for funding.
Apply to present at this years Annual Conference. Share your ideas, thoughts, or projects with Europes largest KT audience.
Two of ASTPs loyal sponsors have combined into a single entity offering consulting and services companies for Tech Transfer and Intellectual Property Management
This SSHA SIG meeting will drill down into how to make social entrepreneurship an attractive impact pathway for academics,
2022 was a remarkable a year for EU matters concerning knowledge and technology transfer. The most recent EU policies and initiatives are opening up new opportunities but also posing challenges to our profession.
2023 is a year with even more activity and diversity of opportunity than ever before
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