Skip to main content
Log in

What Patent Data Reveal about Universities: The Case of Belgium

  • Published:
The Journal of Technology Transfer Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a surge in patenting by Belgian universities. It appears that this increase can be attributed to growth of biotechnology, where there is a greater propensity to patent, to a desire on the part of universities to enhance commercialization through technology transfer offices (TTOs), and to effective collaboration between universities and government-sponsored research centers. Our qualitative analysis reveals that patent statistics could be a misleading indicator of an individual university's “technological productivity,” since many inventions are developed at universities, yet applied by other institutions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Dernis, H., D. Guellec, and B. van Pottelsberghe, 2001, ‘Using Patent Counts for Cross-Country Comparison of Technology Output', STI Review 27, OECD, 129–146.

    Google Scholar 

  • Griliches, Z., 1990, ‘Patent Statistics as Economic Indicators: A Survey', Journal of Economic Literature 28, 1661–1707.

    Google Scholar 

  • Henderson, R.M., A. Jaffe, and M. Trajtenberg, 1998, ‘Universities as a Source of Commercial Technology: A Detailed Analysis of University Patenting 1965-1988', Review of Economics and Statistics 80(1), 119–127.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jaffe, A., 1986, ‘Technological Opportunity and Spillovers of R&D; Evidence from Firms’ Patents, Profits, and Market Value', American Economic Review 76(5), 984–1001.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jaffe, A., 1989, ‘Real Effects of Academic Research', American Economic Review 79(5), 957–970.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lanjouw, J. O., O. Pakes, and J. Putnam, 1998, ‘How to Count Patents and Value Intellectual Property: The Uses of Patent Renewal and Application Data', Journal of Industrial Economics 46(4), 405–432.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mansfield, E., 1998, ‘Academic Research and Industrial Innovation: An Update of Empirical Findings, Research Policy', 26, 773–776.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mowery, D.C., R.R. Nelson, B.N. Sampat, and A.A. Ziedonis, 2001, ‘The Growth of Patenting and Licensing by US Universities: An Assessment of the Effect of the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980', Research Policy 30, 99–119.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mowery, D.C. and A.A. Ziedonis, 2002, ‘Academic Patent Quality and Quantity before and after the Bayh-Dole Act in the United States', Research Policy, 31, 399–418.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siegel, D., D. Waldman, and A.N. Link, 1999, ‘Assessing the Impact of Organizational Practices on the Productivity of University Technology Transfer Offices: An Exploratory Study’, NBER Working Paper #7256 and Research Policy, forthcoming.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Saragossi, S., van Pottelsberghe de la Potterie, B. What Patent Data Reveal about Universities: The Case of Belgium. The Journal of Technology Transfer 28, 47–51 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021678719567

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021678719567

Keywords

Navigation