Development and transfer of research results
Research development is underpinned by all activities geared to producing value-added research results and putting knowledge to use. Development is not merely a matter of commercializing results; rather, it relies as well on the deployment and sharing of knowledge in all areas of knowledge development.
Transfer is the transmission and receipt of technological and organizational knowledge and know-how between partners, with a view to enhancing the knowledge and know-how of at least one of the partners and strengthening that partner's competitiveness.
Science at the service of the industry partnering in the research
The governments of the member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) strive increasingly to forge stronger ties between science and industry.
In 2001, revenue from industry-sponsored research by Québec universities totalled $176 million and accounted for 9.7% of the research conducted by the universities. That is a higher percentage than in the OECD and G7 member countries, where the percentage is 6.2% and 5.8% respectively.
In regard to the commercialization of intellectual property, Québec universities produced 18% of the patents held, and 12% of the spin-off companies created, by all Canadian universities. The percentages for Ontario are 28% and 30% respectively.
One of the objectives of the ministère du Développement économique, de l'Innovation et de l'Exportation is to increase the use of research results and maximize their economic and social benefits in order to stimulate innovation by organizations in all regions of Québec.
