A Study of The Regulations on The Use of University Royalties using Delphi Technique

델파이 기법을 활용한 대학의 기술료 사용제도 개선방안 연구

In this paper, problems with the Korean system regulating the use of university royalties are identified and investigated in order to suggest measures to improve the system in a way that provides a better R&D environment at universities. The Delphi technique was used to gather data from royalty specialists at universities and government ministries. The first Delphi survey conducted used open questions to identify problems in the use of university royalties. Then, closed questions were used for the second Delphi survey. The number of responses and the frequency of answers were analyzed after the first survey, and validity, stability, and reliability analyses were conducted for the second survey. The measures suggested to improve the system regulating the use of university royalties are as follows: First, bonuses for researchers, which are currently 50% or more of collected royalties, need to be decreased, as they are rather high compared to similar bonuses in developed countries, which are around 30% of collected royalties. The guideline for limiting the bonuses, which is explained as XX% or less of collected royalties, is suggested to prevent the excessive use of royalties. Second, rewards for those who contribute to technology transfer and commercialization should be increased. It is also important to build a consensus around the need to reward those who contribute to technology transfer and commercialization. Third, the scale of re-investment into R&D needs to increase. Regulations on royalties should be meaningfully applied to create a positive feedback structure for R&D, which can be described as the process of research, R&D outcomes, technology transfer, collecting royalties, rewarding researchers, and re-investing in R&D. To build a university's R&D capability, re-investment into R&D needs to be regularized as XX% or more of royalties. Fourth, regulations on the royalties of ministries and universities need to be unified. Each category for using royalties needs to be regularized, with detailed matters such as the guideline, process and method for using royalties specified. Also, universities need to make their own specific regulations. Fifth, specific priorities on the use of royalties need to be suggested. Regulation is necessary for the categories that do not have guideline and priorities for the use of royalties. It is hoped that the findings of this research will contribute to reinforcing the R&D capability of universities.

본 연구는 자체 연구재원 확보 및 연구역량 확충을 위해 기술료의 정부 반납제도 폐지(2008년)에 따라 기술료 사용의 재량권이 확대된 대학의 기술료 사용 현황을 진단하고, 기술료 제도의 의의라 할 수 있는 연구개발 선순환 관점에서 기술료 사용제도 개선방안을 모색해 보고자 각 대학 산학협력단에 근무하는 기술료 징수 관리 전문가 등을 대상으로 델파이 기법을 활용하여 조사하였다. 참여연구원 보상금 지급기준 미비 및 극히 소수(교수 중심)에 대한 보상금 지급, 연구개발 재투자 소홀, 각 부처 기술료 규정 상이 등이 문제점으로 조사되었는데, 이에 대해, (1) 과도한 수준의 참여연구원 보상금 사용비율 축소, (2) 기술이전 사업화 기여자에 대한 보상금 사용비율 확대 및 보상금 지급에 대한 교수 등 이해관계자들의 인식전환 노력, (3) 연구개발 재투자 규모 확대, (4) 각 부처의 기술료 사용기준 통일 및 대학 자체의 기술료 사용기준(학칙) 구체화, (5) 기술료 사용 우선순위 제도화 등 제도적 보완이 필요하다. 본 연구결과 도출된 기술료 사용 문제점 및 개선방안을 토대로 대학의 기술료 사용제도가 대학의 재정확충을 통해 자체 연구역량을 강화할 수 있는 방향으로 정착되기를 기대한다.