IBIL hosts conference sharing the outcome of research examining university IP policies

On 12 May 2025, the UCL Institute of Brand and Innovation Law hosted a conference that unveiled results from a comprehensive examination of intellectual property (IP) and commercialisation policies from across 138 universities in England. The analysis, led by the University of Leicester in collaboration with UCL and the University of Sheffield, brought together a multidisciplinary team comprising Mark Anderson, Hon. Professor of Practice (UCL Faculty of Laws), Dr Alison Slade, Dr Josef Walker, and Dr Ashleigh Hamidzadeh (the University of Leicester) and Professor Naomi Hawkins (the University of Sheffield). 

The project examined commercialisation policies, including revenue-sharing arrangements, university shareholdings in spinouts, and their alignment with recommendations from the Tracey/Williamson Review and the USIT guides. The analysis also provided a timely update on how universities are responding to other external pressures including the High Court decision in Oxford University Innovation v Oxford Nanoimaging [2022] EWHC 3200 (Pat), which raised fundamental questions about university IP ownership claims and commercialisation practices.

Made possible through ESRC Impact Accelerator Award funding, the conference, chaired by Mark Anderson, brought together leading experts in IP law, university knowledge exchanges, and policy makers to discuss the findings and their implications. It also featured a panel discussion with senior representatives from Knowledge Exchange UK, Research England, UKRI, UCL Innovation & Enterprise, Leicester Research & Enterprise and LifeArc.

The project and conference make a significant contribution to the ongoing national debate about university commercialisation practices and their impact on knowledge exchange, academic entrepreneurship, and the UK’s economic competitiveness.

More information

• Find out more about the event here.
• View the conference slides here.