Sharing technology transfer lessons in Japan

Professor David Gann has recently returned from a trip to Japan representing Imperial College, speaking by invitation of the British-Consulate, at events on science, industry and innovation held in Kyoto and Osaka.

The events were a key part of the UK-Japan 2008 festival celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Amity and Commerce. 

Professor Gann addressed an audience of business people, academics and policy advisers on ‘connecting innovation’.  Sir Graham Fry, British Ambassador to Japan, joined representatives from Sharp, Rolls Royce and Toshiba as well as experts from a range of UK and Japanese universities for the Professor’s opening presentation.

The presentation looked at how new technology, known as Innovation Technology (IvT), is enabling science to connect in new ways with application.  In doing so, techniques like rapid prototyping, visualisation and simulation, allow new collaborations between existing communities in industry and academia. 

This level of connectivity encourages ideas to be shared and developed resulting in more rapid innovation and problem solving – often across traditional disciplinary boundaries.  Professor Gann provided many examples from across Imperial College – a world leader in turning innovation in medicine, technology, science and engineering into viable commercial ventures – featuring the work of Imperial Innovations.

During his trip, Professor Gann was also a panellist in a discussion on how best to foster international collaboration in technology transfer.  Describing the Business School’s own track record in this area he said: “Tanaka Business School began working with Chiba and Tokyo Universities on issues relating to innovation in the built environment around 18 years ago.  Since then, our relationship with Tokyo University’s Institute of Industrial Science has expanded and strengthened. This culminated in a Memorandum of Understanding that we signed in the summer of 2006.  Shared research now includes BP’s Urban Energy Systems Project and more generally work on the innovation process.”

Professor Gann sees partnerships with Japanese universities and corporations as an “essential and important link for any researcher interested in the innovation process.”  One significant benefit of these agreements is greater access to heads of research and development at some of Japan’s biggest companies – something Professor Gann feels, “would be nearly impossible without partnership with and personal introductions from the Institute of Industrial Science.”

On the collaboration, Professor Gann hopes that with the Institute the School will “tackle the big issues of today: how to develop sustainable environments, how to redefine healthcare systems and how to deploy new energy systems.  These are fruitful collaborations and will be for many years to come.”

Ends