Media Release

Thursday, 2 March 2006

A highly regarded European expert on commercialising technology and building links between universities and industry is in South Australia to teach a University of Adelaide course.

Professor Thomas Baaken, the leader of ProTon Europe's Steering Group on Interaction with Industry, is teaching the Technology and Management Transfer Course, offered by the University's Education Centre for Innovation and Commercialisation as part of its Master of Science and Technology Commercialisation program. The intensive three-day course begins today and is free to the University of Adelaide community.

ECIC Director Mr Antonio Dottore says having someone of the calibre of Professor Baaken at the University of Adelaide further underlines the high level of engagement the University has with industry.

"Professor Baaken is a world-class figure in helping universities build connections with industry, and we are delighted that he is able to share his considerable knowledge about the best way for the two to interact," Mr Dottore says.

"Recent media interest in how universities are engaging with industry has highlighted just how much involvement the University of Adelaide already has with business, and this is yet another example of how much effort we are making in bringing the two even closer together."

Professor Baaken hails from Germany where he has had a longstanding involvement in helping improve European commercialisation processes. He was an important contributor to the EU Responsible Partnering policy, which will be launched later this month at the European Business Summit.

The University of Adelaide's Education Centre for Innovation and Commercialisation is an educational leader in the provision of programs in Entrepreneurship, Commercialisation and Project Management, with a mission to encourage entrepreneurship and wealth creation by developing capability in the management (including project management) of innovation and its commercialisation.