As part of a global initiative in the area of scientific and industrial research, leading research institutions in India have come together to form a society for facilitating professional expertise and guidance for technology transfers among domestic as well as international partners.

The scientific society titled as Society of Technology Transfer Managers (STTM) was launched on the first day of the five-day IPR& Technology Transfer Programme jointly organized by Cornell University of the US, USAID and Sathguru Management Consultants at Mussoorie.

The Indian society, which will be affiliated with the International Federation for Technology Transfer Associations (IFTTA), has individual and organizational members representing scientific fraternity, leading public and private laboratories, academic institutions, IPR consultancy and legal firms in India.

In the governing board of STM, the senior scientists and IP heads from Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), Indian Centre for Agricultural Research (ICAR), Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, have been inducted.

The technology transfer society will be a self funded organization, initially with grants from Central and State Governments, would facilitate exchange of ideas among scientific and industry groups, evaluation technologies, negotiations for deals, monitoring of proper administration of intellectual property rights and laws and guidance for proper and fairer implementation of technologies for the progress of the country as well as science.

At the launching occasion, Dr Mark Crowell, director, Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) handed over the bylaw and guideline of the society to the founder members of STTM, Dr Sathyanarayana of ICMR, Dr Aravind Duggal from DBT, JP Mishra from ICAR, R K Gupta from CSIR.