Study finds Canadian universities lag in technology transfer

By Peter Hadekel. Development strategies for Montreal often refer to the crucial role that universities play in the local economy. They are major employers and big purchasers of goods and services. They turn out thousands of well-trained graduates each year to meet the needs of the Montreal-area companies that require an educated workforce. Academic researchers generate the bright ideas that sustain today’s knowledge-based economy. Their discoveries lead to the founding of new companies in areas like information technology, telecommunications, life sciences and environmental engineering. But our universities can do a lot better. They lag behind their U.S. counterparts in one key area — the technology transfer that occurs between academic institutions and the private sector. Read more...