Call for SMEs to have access to university IP

Speaking at his inaugural address in central London last night, he commented: "Tax payers are already funding the creation of innovative intellectual property in our universities, so it seems reasonable to make it more freely available to UK SMEs that are best positioned to add value and commercialise it. "Universities should be encouraged and incentivised to kick start the development of new technologies and products by openly assigning the required IP to dynamic British businesses at minimal extra cost." Prof Hopper also called on the government to create a chief engineering and technology advisor so that national infrastructure projects get the expertise they need and to make sure the UK is able to harness advances in technology. He continued: "In the UK, engineering is still undervalued despite our rich industrial heritage and track record in pioneering new technologies. This is reflected in the make-up of the government and must change to help turn around the UK economy. "The UK government has a complete absence of engineers in the cabinet and poor representation across parliament and the civil service. With the success of so much future policy based around engineering and technology, I believe that it is time for the government to draw on the knowledge and experience of the UK's best engineering talent at the highest levels. Lastly, Hopper urged the government to follow the example of the many British companies that have realised the pivotal role technology plays in their competitiveness, efficiency and future success. "It is high time that we had a CTO for UK plc," he concluded.