Dear Reader,

Nowadays it is expected that universities and colleges establish close connections with the business sector, including both large and small scale enterprises. They are integral stakeholders in higher education, who support the students by providing practical training, advising the diploma theses, and shaping the labour markets into which graduates enter after they complete their studies.  If the university succeeds in its mission, these companies will employ our students in the future. Their experts might become our visiting lecturers, who participate in our final exam committees and do joint research with us and help in education.

Realising the above mentioned goals, first of all we have to monitor our research and progress, which will bring benefits for the businesses in the future.

Szent István University started to map its knowledge base. Although it is not yet complete, the offer for educational and research cooperation is available for our business partners. Introducing this publication to you I also call my colleagues to update and expand the cooperation topics from time to time and if You have a new idea or proposal, which fits with Szent István University program, feel free to contact us.

We believe that these guidelines provide you useful information and strengthen the connection between business life and education.

Respectfully yours
László Solti DSc.
rector

Preface

Szent István University (SZIU) has long traditions of research and innovation. As a recognition of its scientific activity SZIU received a qualification of "excellent university" in 2010.  Scientific cooperation within the university and with other higher educational institutions, academic and research institutes is very important. Meanwhile, it is becoming more and more important to be in contact with the business sector as well.

Within the framework of TÁMOP-4.2.1-08/1/KMR-2008-0003 grant programme the Technology Transfer Group was established within the Grants Administration and Innovation Centre (PIK) of the university in the fall of 2010. Its mission is strengthening the relationship between the university and the business sector through the following activities:

• organizing inside courses in intellectual property protection and innovation management and awareness raising
• collecting new, innovative ideas from the research teams and evaluating them for potential utilization, facilitating market access for the promising ideas (products, services) providing legal and economic advice
• novelty search, intellectual property protection (e.g. patenting) and  maintenance of university patents involving external experts
• contribution in contracting and formulating the research contracts, their performance monitoring
• assistance in the formation of spin-off companies facilitating the business use of intellectual property
• internal and external consultations for the utilization of the research results, covering the administrative issues, which allows the research teams to perfect operation.

 However the goals and working methods of researchers and businessmen are different in many aspects, the cooperation could be beneficial for both parties. The Grants Administration and Innovation Centre Team offers them help.

 Published in 2011 in the framework of New Hungary Development Plan, Social Renewal Operational Programme 4.2.1 Development of tools and conditions for knowledge transfer and exploitation programme, Budapest Bioscience Business Hub - technology transfer programme for establishing innovative biotech enterprises in the Central and Eastern European region (contract number of TÁMOP-4.2.1-08/1/KMR-2008-0003)

Authors: Béla Urbányi PhD., project manager, Ivett Széles (PIK), Gabriella Ambriskó (PIK), Ágnes Divinyi (PIK), Katalin Tóthné Maros PhD.(MKK), Andrea Csorbainé Gógán (MKK), Tamás Bakonyi PhD.(AOTK), Krisztián Ritter PhD.(GTK), András Zachár PhD.(GÉK), Miklós Hajdu PhD.(YMÉK) in collaboration with the research groups.