Globally, research has become a key driver for the achievement of status and the procurement of funding for higher education institutions. Although there is mounting pressure on institutions to become research active, many institutions are rooted in a strong tradition of teaching. These institutions find it challenging to develop research capacity…

Smaller universities may produce research which is on a par with larger, elite establishments. This is confirmed by a recently developed mathematical model, supported by data from British and French higher education research-evaluation exercises. The detailed nature of the UK system, in particular, allows quantification of the notion of critical…

In response to growing public and policy concern about conflicts of interest (COI) in university research, academic institutions in North America and Europe have introduced policies to manage COI. However, depending on their form and content, COI policies can be more or less helpful in the effective management of COI. In this paper, we examine and…

According to an annual survey, 132 U.S. research universities earned over $446 million in royalties from inventions in fiscal 1997, and received 2,239 patents. The University of California was the top earner. Data provided on the top-earning institutions includes dollar amount of adjusted gross royalties received, number of licenses generating…

To address concerns that universities are overcharging the federal government for indirect costs of research programs, data from seven major research universities were used to simulate a standardization of costs and policies to eliminate differences widely assumed to contribute to rate variation. Results suggest universities are not overcharging…

A comparison of the patent policies of 65 research universities focused on the equity rights of universities in employee inventions, procedures for distribution of patent policies and disclosure of inventions, and income distribution to inventors. Some historical perspective for these practices is offered. (Author/MSE)

Application of a multidimensional measure of university research activity, the Research Activity Index (RAI), is described and compared to the more common use of research and development expenditures as a criterion of activity. The RAI incorporates seven expenditure variables, three graduate-student-related variables, and a research library…

Institutions varied widely in amount and type of data collected in tracking research proposals. Many do not collect predicted data or much data of national interest. Most do not require prior approval of use of human subjects, recombinant DNA, or hazardous substances. Only one required certification of integrity of scholarship. (Author/MSE)

Despite pressure from Congress and faculty, and a series of revisions in federal regulations, the average rate charged the government by universities for overhead for federally financed research appears remains high. Average rate for the top 100 research institutions is over 50%; most of the highest rates are at private institutions; all the…

Interview with higher education leader Clark Kerr focuses on changes and trends in the profession. Topics discussed include changes in the college presidency; the president's professional role and responsibility to himself; Carnegie Commission on Higher Education; federal research policy; faculty mobility; the future of universities and community…