Top innovator

UNSW has been named as Australia’s most innovative university, winning the higher education category of the Thomson Reuters Citation and Innovation Awards 2012.

All academic institutions and enterprises in Australia were considered for the awards. Criteria used to assess the level of innovation included size of patent portfolio, success rate, extent of globalisation and influence of the innovations. The patent analysis was based on Thomson Reuters data.

“This innovation award reaffirms UNSW’s position as the leading university for industry to engage with,” said UNSW Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Les Field.

“We have an excellent track record in developing world-class technologies that provide real solutions and applications for real-world problems.”

In 2011, UNSW became the first university in Australia, and one of the first in the world, to offer the majority of its intellectual property to companies for free.

“Easy Access IP simplifies the process for university research to be put to use by society and the economy,” said Dr Kevin Cullen, CEO of New South Innovations, the commercialisation and knowledge exchange company at UNSW.

“Our success in photovoltaics innovation is a great example. This leading technology is having a global impact – it’s used by industry around the world.”

More information on the awards, presented at the National Press Club, is available here.

Media contact: Denise Knight, UNSW Media Office, 02 9385 8920