Contracting takes center stage with two learning opportunities from UIDP
UIDP is sharing some great news about upcoming learning and skill development opportunities in sponsored research contracting—for those new to the job and for seasoned professionals.
Making contracting for university-industry collaboration easier is a core UIDP strength. The UIDP Contract Accords have expanded in both number and breadth since they were first introduced, and we regularly convene project groups to tackle new contracting issues as they arise—from master agreements to IP rights to student-related issues.
We’ve also produced live programming—both in-person at our bi-annual Contracting Forums at ASU’s beautiful SkySong and through webinars that focus on contracting topics.
Members and non-member feedback—and continued growth in the number of participants—indicates that member organizations and representatives find these experiences valuable for your work. And in the past several months, we’ve held some great conversations (and gathered survey data) about how you’re using UIDP materials to train new contracting staff, and what you’d like to see from UIDP to support professional development. One surprising fact: 79% of survey respondents indicated strong interest in a UIDP-sponsored series or seminar for contracting professionals with little prior experience.
With that in mind, we’re offering two great opportunities—one for those new to the field, and the other for professionals with advanced skills:
The Contracting Fundamental Webinar Series, starting July 14 with “Contracting Basics,” is your go-to resource for university-industry contracting essentials. We’re offering this series as a free UIDP member benefit (there is a $100 per-session fee for non-members to attend individual sessions, $800 for the whole series). If you miss the live sessions, we’re also making the recordings available on demand. UIDP organizations will be able to tap into these resources every time they onboard a new member of the team.
These 11 one-hour virtual webinar sessions include pre-recorded, vetted UIDP content that is facilitated live by contracting subject matter experts, ready to handle live Q&A from participants. The series is geared toward professionals who are new to the area of industry-sponsored research agreements and designed to offer a baseline understanding of common issues and how to address them—from Statements of Work to foreground and background IP and budgeting.
We’re also including a couple of more advanced topics—Data Use Agreements and Tax-Exempt Bonds—for experienced personnel. We’ll cap off the series with an “Ask Me Anything” session, with a panel of seasoned practitioners ready to take on any questions that come their way. See presenters, sessions, and register.
The next UIDP Contracting Forum will be live and in-person, so plan to join us January 26-27, 2022, at SkySong, the Arizona State University Scottsdale Innovation Center. This year, we are going to focus on intermediate and advanced topics. Our co-chairs, Gaylene Anderson, Boehringer Ingelheim and Jarrett Ellis, Georgia Institute of Technology, have recruited an all-star steering committee to convene, contribute to the knowledge base, and share up-to-the-minute best practices for some of the thorniest issues in university-industry contracting. Registration is already open, so please mark your calendars and secure a spot. See the speakers and event details. These sessions will not be recorded or available virtually, so plan to be there to get the most out of incredible discussions and networking with your peers.
I work with industry-related agreements, and I can say that this was one of the most valuable conferences in this topic that I have been to. I will definitely encourage my institution to continue sending representatives to the contracting forum.
– Julia De Paola Almeida Carvalho, University of Waterloo
June 11, 2021