Rank 50th Worldwide in Number of U.S. Patents

 

-Research System Emphasizes

University-Industry Collaboration

 

 

 

Yonsei is ranked fiftieth in the list of the “Top 100 Worldwide Universities Granted U.S. Utility Patents in 2015” released by the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) and the Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO). This year’s ranking marks a significant improvement over last year, when Yonsei was ranked eighty-first worldwide.

 

The NAI and IPO have published their rankings annually since 2013 using data from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The top ten universities in this year’s list are the University of California System, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University of Texas, Tsinghua University (China), California Institute of Technology, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), Johns Hopkins University, Columbia University, and University of Michigan.

 

In terms of Korean universities, the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) was ranked twelfth, followed by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) (34th), Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) (37th), and Seoul National University (SNU) (40th).

 

Yonsei’s research system is designed to enable faculty members to collaborate with industry and commercialize their research results. In 2006, the Yonsei University-Industry Foundation established an office for technology transfer, which also served to manage patents. In 2011, the university created a technology holding company, and in 2013 it was reorganized to promote both technology transfers and entrepreneurship activities. The technology holding company thus supports patent applications, the commercialization of technology, and start-up ventures.

 

Presently, Yonsei holds a total of 9,600 patents, of which 1,900 are registered abroad. To date, the university has facilitated 630 technology transfers, receiving 18 billion won in revenue, and it has sixteen subsidiary companies.

 

The university continues to promote outstanding research results through the Yonsei Future-Leading Research Initiative. To enable faculty members to more effectively collaborate with industry and obtain patents, the university is increasing its support for strategic patent setting and technology transfer, while providing consultations on laboratory patents.