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Charter of the Innovation Center of Qom University of Technology

Statute of the Innovation Center of Qom University of Technology

Innovation centers play a crucial role in the development of fundamental knowledge and ultimately its transformation into wealth. The success of these centers requires applied research and collaboration among university centers, government, industry, and research centers towards identifying and creating new products that are marketable. Innovation and the creation of new products require support and risk-taking investment in the research and development stage and the construction of initial prototypes of the new idea, process, or service. The Innovation Center of Qom University of Technology enters this arena to implement the leadership’s directives on strengthening the knowledge-based economy and in line with the university’s mission as a promoter of green industry, and by accepting the risks of the research and development stages of innovative projects, positions itself among the technology-oriented universities of the country.

Article 1 - Definitions

  1. Innovation Center: The Innovation Center of Qom University of Technology is a center that, by providing support and backing services for the construction and development of technology- and innovation-based products or the transfer of technical knowledge by owners of creative ideas from among the faculty members of Qom University of Technology or other researchers approved by the Vice-Chancellor for Education and Research of the university in the form of innovative units in various fields of science and engineering, supports knowledge- and technology-based economic goals.

  2. Founding Organization: The founder of the Innovation Center is Qom University of Technology. The leadership of this center has been delegated by the University President to the Vice-Chancellor for Education and Research of the university, and therefore its funding is provided from the university’s research budgets and financial support from collaborating individuals and legal entities/corporations of the project.

  3. Innovative Units: These are units with an independent individual/legal identity from the university that operate based on a research contract concluded between the project executor and the Vice-Chancellor for Education and Research of the university in the field of applied and developmental research, engineering design, reverse engineering, innovation transfer, meeting university needs, providing specialized services, and activity towards the commercialization of research results.

  4. Innovation Period: A period of a maximum of one year from the date of the contract between the project executor and the Vice-Chancellor for Education and Research of the university, during which the resident or non-resident innovative units must achieve the project’s results and then exit the Innovation Center. This period can be extended by up to 6 months in special circumstances at the discretion of the Innovation Center Council and the Vice-Chancellor for Education and Research of the university.

Article 2 - Objectives

  1. Assisting in the formation and sustainable development of innovative activities at the university
  2. Encouraging and motivating a shift from theoretical research to applied research and innovative product development
  3. Facilitating the approval and execution process of innovative projects
  4. Smoothing the path of transforming ideas into products and converting knowledge into value
  5. Assisting in the construction of initial prototypes or pilots of innovative projects and converting laboratory samples into semi-industrial and industrial scales
  6. Providing the requirements for the Innovation Center to be approved and supported by the Fund for the Support of Researchers and Technologists of the Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology
  7. Providing the requirements for the University Growth Center
  8. Cooperation in the field of national and international patent registration
  9. Strengthening the industry-university relationship through university branding in innovative topics
  10. Achieving the goals of a resistance economy and directing innovative activities in line with the country’s science and innovation policies
  11. Facilitating the path of entrepreneurship and job creation

Note: The following are considered priorities for accepting projects at the center:

  1. Collaboration of two or more faculty members of the university on a single project
  2. The project topic aligns with the university’s needs, whether laboratory-based or related to the university’s mission.
  3. A feasibility study plan or business plan has been prepared for the project.
  4. The project is in line with the application of student projects.
  5. Faculty members who have research laboratories cannot submit a project for establishment at the center.

Article 3 - Duties

This center provides the following support services to accepted units (resident or non-resident):

  1. Provision of workspace at the Innovation Center free of charge for up to one year upon the executor’s request and availability of space, followed by rent collection at the discretion of the Innovation Center Council and the Vice-Chancellor for Education and Research of the university
  2. Laboratory, workshop, and information services
  3. Financial support in the form of a contract
  4. Specialized training and consulting

Article 4 - Components of the Innovation Center

The founding organization of this center is Qom University of Technology, and it falls under the Vice-Chancellor for Education and Research of the university. This center consists of the following components:

  1. Management and Staff Section, including:

    • Director of the Innovation Center
    • Senior Innovation Expert

  2. Innovative Units (resident or non-resident) at the center

  3. Innovation Center Council, which is responsible for evaluating proposed projects for admission to the center and includes the following members:

    • Director of the Innovation Center (Chair of the Session)
    • Innovation Center Expert (Secretary of the Session, without voting rights)
    • Three faculty members as representatives of the faculties, appointed by the deans of the faculties
    • One faculty member of the university related to the proposed topic, appointed by the Director of the Innovation Center
    • One faculty member knowledgeable in entrepreneurship topics, appointed by the Director of the Innovation Center
    • Director of the Growth Center of the Provincial Science and Technology Park
    • Head of the Scientific Basij of the Provincial Sepah Corps
    • Head of the Provincial Entrepreneurship Guild
    • Chairman of the Board or Managing Director of the Shokouhieh Industrial Town of the Province

Article 5 - Duties of the Director of the Innovation Center

  1. Managing all affairs of the Innovation Center in accordance with the statute, regulations, and executive guidelines
  2. Organizing the units approved by the Council at the Innovation Center upon the executor’s request
  3. Continuous supervision of the activities of innovative units residing at the center to ensure activities and achievements align with the project proposal approved by the committee
  4. Creating the necessary grounds for the advancement and development of innovative units through the provision of the described services
  5. Planning and taking necessary measures for budget provision, strengthening the financial foundation, and attracting resources for the Innovation Center
  6. Striving to provide external university support to accelerate the growth process of resident units
  7. Preparing and adjusting the required annual budget and presenting it to the Innovation Center Council
  8. Submitting an annual performance report of the center to the Innovation Center Council

Article 6 - Duties and Authorities of the Innovation Center Council

  1. Preparing and revising the regulations and executive guidelines of the Innovation Center
  2. Reviewing the eligibility of innovative units for admission and, if necessary, for residence at the center, as well as reviewing the disqualification of innovative units residing at the center after reviewing periodic reports for submission to the Vice-Chancellor for Education and Research
  3. Reviewing the annual performance of the Innovation Center

Article 7 - Financial Resources of the Innovation Center

The financial resources of the Innovation Center are as follows:

  1. Financial support from the university as the founding organization of the Innovation Center
  2. Financial support from collaborating individuals or legal entities/corporations of the project
  3. Income from the center’s activities, including training and consulting fees (operational income)
  4. Income from rent for the workspace of units at the Innovation Center (non-operational income)

Note: In terms of financial regulations, the Innovation Center is subject to the financial and transactional regulations of universities.

This directive, consisting of 7 articles and 2 notes, was approved by the University Research Council on 11 Aban 1395 (November 1, 2016) and was ratified by the Board of Trustees of Qom University of Technology on 24 Aban 1395 (November 14, 2016), and is effective from the date of approval.