Our office aims to connect our faculty, staff, and students with industrial partners to truly achieve the Wisconsin Idea, bringing education and innovative research to the public. Our broad services—talent solutions, collaborative research ventures, professional development, and strategic corporate investment opportunities—help us achieve this mission.
TALENT SOLUTIONS
Our student body – more than 4,500 strong – is one of the greatest assets of the UW-Madison College of Engineering. We develop tomorrow’s leaders – ethical, innovative, resourceful, skilled engineers who are fully prepared to hit the ground running. OCR can help companies connect with the right talent at the right time. In addition to our extensive Career Fair, we offer unique opportunities to elevate your visibility to skilled students, faculty, and staff, including sponsoring our educational projects such as those in experiential learning, diversity & inclusion, capstones, and consortium industrial seminars.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
UW’s College of Engineering offers over 180 non-credit courses led by university and industry experts, spanning 7 key areas.
Read moreOur online degrees supplement your credentials while you benchmark, engage, and learn with other professionals.
Read moreCompany representatives can benefit from rich collaborative platforms offered through our consortia.
Read moreCOLLABORATIVE RESEARCH
UW–Madison is home to one of the largest research enterprises in the nation – the College of Engineering is a highlight of this research institution. Partnerships with engineering faculty and staff include access to our academic and scientific resources with the goal of transforming discoveries into solutions that address real-world issues. See our Frequently Asked Questions for more.
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Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreements
Confidentiality Agreements (CDAs) and Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) are used to protect the confidentiality of any proprietary information that needs to be evaluated by the another party, whether that information is being shared by the investigator with a potential sponsor or by a sponsor with the investigator. Key provisions in a CDA include: a narrowly defined purpose or project, the clear identification of confidential materials, and limited periods of disclosure and continued obligation of confidentiality.
Consulting Agreements
Consulting Agreements are made between the sponsor and the investigator as an individual, outside of one’s university employment. Accordingly, these agreements are not negotiated nor signed by the university. It is the investigator’s responsibility to ensure that the terms of the agreement do not conflict with their commitments to the university and that the work to be performed does not require the use of university resources. Help is available through the UW Law School’s Law & Entrepreneurship Clinic.
Fee for Service Agreements
Fee for Service (FFS) Agreements govern vendor relationships where the University provides a routine service which meets predefined specifications with no novel or creative input by a university member. The activity does not add to the body of fundamental knowledge in a given field.
Research Agreements
Research Agreements are applicable when the project will involve a systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to general knowledge. This Funded Standard Research Agreement template is used when more detailed IP is involved; however, a simple IP agreement is also available.
Material Transfer Agreements
Materials Transfer Agreement (MTAs) are used for incoming and outgoing materials at UW-Madison. They describe the terms under which university investigators and outside researchers can share materials, typically for research or evaluation purposes. MTAs protect both the investigator and the industrial partner from liability and loss of intellectual property. More information is available in our guide:
Access to Technology
Are you interested in finding out about the amazing technological discoveries made within the College of Engineering? The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) manages all intellectual property and tech transfer activity at UW-Madison and will guide you step by step through the different arrangements, providing access to more than 1,760 WARF-patented technologies. Let us help you connect with representatives from WARF.
Strategic Investment
The UW-Madison College of Engineering is deeply committed to continuously improving our students’ educational experience and to conducting innovative research that benefits our state and national economy. Over the years, generous investments by corporate partners have helped enhance the academic experience of many students, elevate innovation, and create alliances within engineering. By giving to the College of Engineering, you become a part of our bold vision for the future. Your investment allows us to provide our students with the tools they need to succeed outside of the classroom and prepare them for the world‘s challenges.