Colleges told tighten rules on staff conflicts of interest

Colleges are being required to tighten their policies to avoid conflicts of interest for staff involved in commercialising on-campus research.

The recommendation of an external review precedes publication of a review of the sale of spinout companies at Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT).

The Higher Education Authority (HEA) and Knowledge Transfer Ireland, which helps link businesses to Irish research and expertise, commissioned the broader review published yesterday.

Policies and practices were generally in keeping with international standards, but one area where improvements were suggested was around conflicts, or potential conflicts, of interest around the commercialisation of intellectual property (IP).

Five of the 22 third-level colleges whose IP management was analysed by the review had no code of conduct or conflicts of interest policy, and only 11 had such policies online last September.

A dozen colleges’ policies were not updated for at least five years, including two that were at least a decade old.

More than 20 types of policy or other document were provided by colleges which they said dealt with conflicts of interest, which the review said was an area of concern that contributes to significant confusion around conflicts.

It recommends a single policy document with a consistent approach to the issue.

Six colleges prevent employees from involvement in outside employment or business interests in actual or potential conflict with the college’s own business.

The review said it seems unreasonable to prohibit all potential conflicts, as long as there is a mechanism to ensure they are properly addressed.

Another nine colleges do not prohibit activity but allow for conflicts to be disclosed and managed.

The review found several colleges had robust processes for managing intellectual property that prevent conflicts from arising in the first place.

Most colleges with relevant policies defined the financial or personal interests that should be reported, how to report them, and at what stage.

Only seven provide complete information about the actions to be taken after conflicts are reported, or how they may be resolved.

The review recommends governing that bodies of colleges review a summary of potential conflicts and how they are managed at least once a year.

HEA chief executive Graham Love said implementing the recommendations will result in simpler and more accessible intellectual property policies, as well as more robust management procedures.

The HEA is expected to publish, very soon, a review it ordered last June into the spin-out and sale of a number of companies from WIT’s Telecommunications Software and Systems Group.

It followed an internal review already carried out by the college in relation to one company, FeedHenry, which WIT president Professor Willie Donnelly asked to have externally validated.

He faced rigorous questions on the matters at the Dáil public accounts committee last year.