Academic Consultancy Service

Transcription

1 Academic Consultancy Service Developing Consultancy An overview of how you can use your knowledge to generate income from consultancy and how Alta can support you. Simon Freeman Academic Consultancy Manager Alta Innovations Limited

2 Marketing Yourself Ensure your University webpage is up to date and incorporates key words about your expertise that you think a potential client may us to search Attend conferences and actively meet with commercial companies Enquiries that you receive into your research, papers and skills by commercial companies can often lead to consultancy work Be aware that your knowledge has value to commercial clients and consider whether an initial enquiry could lead to something bigger

3 Types of Consultancy Advice and assistance with a client s proprietary technology Expert witness testimony Problem solving Independent adjudication and report writing Appointment to scientific and other advisory panels Tendering for research and development projects Testing and analysis Access to College facilities

4 Specific Projects Professor X engaged to provide expert witness testimony in a patent dispute to a law firm for up to 10 days at 3500 per day Dr A appointed to the scientific advisory board of a major pharma company with 5 meetings per annum at 2000 per day Dr K asked by a personal products company to test materials in his laboratory: School costs charged at commercial fec with consultancy payment of 1200 per day for Dr K Professor Y successfully bid for a 44k contract with a UK defence company to provide R & D expertise on a larger MOD contract. Funds will flow to the School, third party consultants and two academics Professor M acts as a script advisor for a well known TV medical programme Dr Z supplies ad hoc advice to a small start-up at 1000 per month

5 Benefits of Consultancy Work Working on real commercial challenges Interaction and building contacts with commercial partners Potential research projects Financial benefits accrue personally to academics

6 The University s Rules Appendix 7 of the Conditions of Employment Academic members of staff may undertake 30 days external consultancy work per annum Require Head of School/College permission to ensure there is no conflict with research, teaching and administrative commitments Alta is the University s preferred vehicle for organising academic consultancy Subject to securing a legal disclaimer from the client work may be undertaken privately

7 Support from Alta Innovations Protect the interests of the academic and the University Provides: Professional indemnity insurance Contract negotiation Legal and taxation advice Invoicing Credit control Payment to the academic either personally or into a Research Account Ensures: Appropriate legal framework Negotiates commercial fee rate School/College facilities are costed appropriately Payment is made to academics in a tax efficient manner Intellectual property issues are considered Fee: Alta charges a 15% fee on fee income Aims: To take on the administrative and contractual burden enabling the academic to focus on the work.

8 Private Consultancy Academics are encouraged to use Alta Innovations Limited but do not have to They can undertake private consultancy but must secure a legal disclaimer Ensures client is aware that the work is not connected to the University Must not use the name of the University or any University-branded documents Risks: Academics are personally liable for the work and should have professional indemnity insurance in place Academics may undersell their expertise Academics may need advice on commercial and legal aspects of negotiating a contract

9 Summary Alta is here to: Protect the interests of the academic and the University Ensure that academics are remunerated appropriately Work flexibly from small to large contracts React quickly to consultancy requests Generate income for both the academic and the University Ensure the administrative and contractual burden is taken away from academics