UniQuest, UQ’s main commercialisation company, has launched a new website for academic staff and postgraduate students interested in commercialising their research ideas and expertise - www.uniquest.com.au/commercialisationworkshop
The website promotes UniQuest’s annual two-day ‘boot camps’, which have introduced commercialisation concepts to more than 1,500 researchers over the past nine years.
The workshops cover a range of commercialisation options, including licensing, start-ups, consulting and contract research. Presentations and group discussions cover typical commercialisation processes, from protecting intellectual property to pitching for industry and investment partnerships.
As well as demonstrating how commercial pathways can build research reputations and leverage commercial research funding for publication opportunities, the workshops present opportunities to engage with industry professionals and investors, network with colleagues from other research centres, and gain credit towards a UQ Graduate Certificate in Research Commercialisation.
“The new website explains what goes on at the workshops and has been designed for smart phones and tablets as well as desk and laptop computers,” UniQuest Managing Director, David Henderson, said.
“We wanted to make it easier for UQ research staff and students from all faculties and institutes to understand how the workshops can add value to their professional development and another dimension to their research careers.
“Creating a dedicated website that can also be downloaded as an app has helped us with this objective – registrations are already coming in and researchers are also signing up for regular updates.”
The website provides details of the two events, plus links to information about all UniQuest’s commercialisation services for researchers. Other features include online registration forms, speakers’ profiles, an innovation trivia quiz, and photos from previous workshops.
Held at the Radisson Resort on the Gold Coast, the first workshop is on Thursday and Friday, 29-30 March, with another workshop scheduled in the semester break, on 5-6 July. This means that researchers with teaching commitments can also plan to attend a workshop.
Workshop costs are covered by UniQuest, including transport and accommodation. Applications via UniQuest’s new workshops website for first workshop will close on 9 March.
