Universities Patent Quality Indicators (UPQI): A Bibliometric and Systematic Review

Abstract

University patent filings have increased worldwide over the years. However, in addition to quantity, it is important to evaluate the quality of these patents. Some studies have addressed this issue, but most of them are limited to analyzing a single or few quality indicators applied in specific areas. The literature on the subject is fragmented, so it is important to summarize this content and generate a systematized knowledge. In order to reduce this gap in the literature, this article focuses on University Patent Quality Indicators (UPQI) aiming to identify the metrics that have been used to evaluate the quality of these documents. Based on a bibliometric and systematic review, the study presents bibliometric indicators, scientific collaboration networks, keyword co-occurrence, and bibliographic coupling, as well as quality indicators found in the literature. The survey of publications was conducted on the Web of Science database. Out of a total of 760 articles, 68 were selected to present research in the field of UPQI. The results show an organized set of metrics and other information that can be used by managers, researchers and funding agencies to guide policies and decision-making that contribute to promoting technological development and partnerships with the productive sector.