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University industrial liaison officials last week met representatives from leading companies that fund research as part of a series of talks aimed at establishing new arrangements for ownership of intellectual property rights.

The University Directors of Industrial Liaison have been pressing for a more flexible arrangement. "Collaborative" research where funding is shared between the public and private sectors is the most contentious area. Universities want to benefit more from collaboration as commercial pressure on them grows. But companies are resisting moves to loosen their control.