Contract research

Contract research is a form of collaboration where EDI acts as a service provider to the industry partner and transfers all intellectual property rights created over the course of the collaboration to the customer. This mode of partnership is particularly useful where an urgent R&D challenge requires expertise and competencies that are not available within the company, or where developing such expertise is outside the long-term strategy of the business.

Contract research occurs where:

• a request is made by an industry partner or a government agency for a specified research project to be carried out with identified aims and objectives;
• the research project is often undertaken on the basis of a competitive bid for funds from an agency (see support mechanisms);
• it is anticipated that the research will result in a deliverable product or report of commercial importance to the industry partner;
• researchers cannot expect to be able to produce peer-reviewed publications;
• ownership of intellectual property either belongs to the contracting party or can be negotiated between the parties.