An Act concerning higher education and business partnerships and supplementing chapter 3B of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes and P.L.1974, c.80 (C.34:1B-1 et seq.).

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. a. The Secretary of Higher Education or the secretary's successor, in consultation with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and the Business Action Center in the Department of State, shall create and maintain a database of the research and development efforts and resources of institutions of higher education located in the State. The purpose of the database shall be to provide business entities with ready access to information on the resources and expertise available at institutions of higher education. The database shall catalog the assets of each participating institution of higher education including, but not limited to, its: research and development activities; scientific capabilities; physical facilities and equipment; intellectual assets; technological infrastructure and capabilities; and the expertise and specialized qualifications of its faculty and staff. The database shall not include any assets that are determined by the institution to be confidential, privileged, or otherwise protected, including any research protected by intellectual property law. The database shall be made available on the website of the secretary or the secretary's successor.

b. Each public institution of higher education shall submit a list of its non-privileged and non-protected assets to the Secretary of Higher Education or the secretary's successor for inclusion in the database established pursuant to subsection a. of this section and shall annually provide updated information to the secretary or the secretary's successor.

c. An independent institution of higher education in the State may elect to submit a list of its non-privileged and non-protected assets to the Secretary of Higher Education or the secretary's successor for inclusion in the database established pursuant to subsection a. of this section.

2. Each institution of higher education shall assess the abilities of its staff to write and prepare grant proposals and shall develop staff training in this area, in order to improve the institution's potential for the award of federal funding.

3. a. The New Jersey Economic Development Authority shall serve as a liaison between the higher education and business communities concerning issues and topics involving and relating to each community's assets, efforts, needs, and challenges. In this capacity, the authority shall facilitate the exchange of information and exploration of collaborations among higher education and business entities that will spur innovation in the State.

b. The authority shall post on its website a link to the database of the research and development efforts and resources of institutions of higher education located in the State established by the Secretary of Higher Education or the secretary's successor pursuant to section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

4. The authority shall undertake activities that will maximize the amount of federal funding awarded to institutions of higher education including, but not limited to, the ongoing identification and promotion of collaborations among institutions of higher education, and among institutions of higher education and business entities, that would improve the potential for the award and receipt of federal funding.

5. This act shall take effect on the 90th day after the date of enactment.

STATEMENT

This bill requires the Secretary of Higher Education (secretary), or the secretary's successor, to work in consultation with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (authority) and the Business Action Center in the Department of State to create and maintain a database with the capacity to catalog certain assets of participating institutions of higher education in New Jersey. The bill provides that these assets are to include information concerning a participating institution's research and development activities, scientific capabilities, physical facilities and equipment, intellectual assets, technological infrastructure and capabilities, and the expertise and specialized qualifications of its faculty and staff, but is not to include assets determined to be confidential, privileged, or otherwise protected, including any research protected by intellectual property law. The bill provides that the database is to be made available on the website of the secretary or the secretary's successor.

The bill requires each public institution of higher education to submit a list of its non-privileged and non-protected assets to the secretary, or the secretary's successor, for inclusion in the database, and to annually provide updated information concerning its assets. The bill provides that independent institutions of higher education in New Jersey may elect to submit a similar list of assets to the commission, or its successor, for inclusion in the database.

The bill requires each institution of higher education to assess the abilities of its staff to write and prepare grant proposals and to develop staff training in this area, to improve the institution's potential for the award of federal funding.

The bill requires the authority to serve as a liaison between the higher education and business communities concerning issues and topics involving and relating to each community's assets, efforts, needs, and challenges. The bill provides that, in this capacity, the authority is to facilitate the exchange of information and exploration of collaborations among higher education and business entities. The bill provides that the authority is required to post on its website a link to the database created and maintained by the secretary or the secretary's successor.

The bill requires the authority to undertake certain activities that are to maximize federal funding awarded to institutions of higher education including, but not limited to, the ongoing identification and promotion of collaborations among institutions of higher education, and among institutions and business entities, that will improve the potential for funding.