Glasgow launches “Easy Access IP”

The University of Glasgow has announced an innovative and exciting scheme for the free licensing of a range of the University’s research-based technical knowledge, consulting skills, ideas and patents. All it seems to want in return is acknowledgement, seeing the likely benefits of free, easy access and use of ideas and skills as outweighing traditional licensing costs. Hmm – that idea sounds familiar in another context . . .

The University of Glasgow has long been an active advocate for Open Access and a leading participant in repository development and growth, not least through a number of JISC and internally sponsored projects and initiatives.  Easy Access IP seems a logical extension of this work – now someone has thought of it and it has been launched! Development paths are easy to see looking back! This is an exciting idea and it will be interesting to see how it is used, the outreach, engagement and knowledge transfer benefits it brings – and what other institutions will adopt a similar approach.

Easy Access IP is an interesting and innovative example of the way that the ideals of Open Access – opening the fruits of research to the world, at minimum cost – can apply in other areas than research publications.  It is also a pointer of a larger trend in research in general of openess and encouragement of new ways of collaborating and communicating.

Bill

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