TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR A SCHEME FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN ADVANCED MANUFACTURING FOR INTELLIGENT MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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1. | PREAMBLE
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2. | PURPOSE
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3. | RATIONALE
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4. | OPERATING PRINCIPLES
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5. | STRUCTURE AND FUNDING
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6. | MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE
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7. | TRANSITION TO AND COMMENCEMENT OF THE IMS SCHEME
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8. | DURATION OF THE IMS SCHEME
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9. | ADMISSION OF NEW PARTICIPANTS
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10. | FORMATION AND EVALUATION OF PROJECT CONSORTIA AND OTHER COLLABORATIVE INSTRUMENTS
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11. | SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES
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12. | DISSEMINATION OF RESULTS
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Technical Appendix 1:
| Intellectual property rights provisions for research and development projects
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Technical Appendix 1.A:
| Convention establishing the World Intellectual Property Organisation (Stockholm, 14 July 1967)
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Technical Appendix 2:
| financial accountability and principles for setting up and executing the IRS budget
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Technical Appendix 3:
| IMS technical themes
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Technical Appendix 4:
| Responsibilities of the IMS Inter-Regional Secretariat
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Technical Appendix 5:
| Responsibilities of the IMS Regional Secretariats
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Technical Appendix 6:
| Admission of new participants
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Technical Appendix 7:
| Project consortia formation and evaluation
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Technical Appendix 8:
| Role Of IMS vis-à-vis small and medium-sised enterprises (SMEs), universities and government research institutes
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1. PREAMBLE
This document sets forth the terms of reference for the partners of the intelligent manufacturing systems (IMS) scheme for international cooperation in research and development in intelligent manufacturing systems. These terms of reference are not intended to create obligations under international or domestic law.
2. PURPOSE
The IMS scheme is an international and multilateral cooperation scheme in which Participants work cooperatively to boost industrial competitiveness, solve problems facing manufacturing worldwide, and develop advanced manufacturing technologies and systems to benefit humanity. Its purposes are to:
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enhance knowledge-based manufacturing in industry to improve the quality of life and citizens and improve the global environment,
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share manufacturing knowledge and to transfer it to future generations,
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increase the participation of SMEs in international collaborative activities,
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adapt educational and training activities to support the knowledge-based manufacturing industries, and
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contribute to establishing common, global norms and standards.
3. RATIONALE
Manufacturing has been and continues to be an important element in the global economy. It remains a primary generator of wealth and is critical to establishing a sound economic basis for economic growth.
Properly managed international cooperation in research and development in advanced manufacturing can help improve manufacturing operations (1). IMS provides the framework within which cooperative research and development activities can flourish. IMS:
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provides a structure for global, ‘forward-thinking’ syntheses (e.g. roadmaps, analyses, foresight),
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fosters the creation of networks to reinforce interaction and collaborative research and development,
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fosters the development of consortia to undertake collaborative research and development projects (including cooperative work on pre-standardisation topics),
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provides an intellectual property rights management framework (Technical Appendix 1) for international collaboration and dissemination activities, and
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disseminates research results broadly.
4. OPERATING PRINCIPLES
IMS collaborative activities proceed on the following bases:
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contributions to, and benefits from such cooperation, are equitable and balanced,
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collaborative projects have industrial relevance,
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collaborative project should include where possible academic participation,
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collaborative projects are carried out by inter-regional, geographically distributed consortia,
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collaborative projects can occur throughout the full innovation cycle,
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IMS project activities under government sponsorship or using government resources should not involve competitive research and development,
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results of collaborative projects are shared through a process of controlled information diffusion, and
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there should be protection for an equitable allocation of any intellectual property right created or furnished during cooperation projects.
5. STRUCTURE AND FUNDING
IMS is governed by a management structure that consists of:
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an International Steering Committee,
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an Inter-Regional Secretariat, and
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Regional Secretariats.
5. 1. Funding for the management structure
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Each participant will fund its own participation,
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Each participant will determine the method by which its own participation will be funded,
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Each participant will contribute in an equitable manner in funding or in kind to defray the costs of operating the Inter-Regional Secretariat,
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Each participant will be responsible for supporting its own delegation, and
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Each Participant will have the right to audit the operations of the management structure.
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Principles for setting up and executing the IRS budget shall be in accordance with Technical Appendix 2.
5. 2. Funding for the Projects
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Each participant will fund its own participation, and
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Each participant will determine the method by which its own participation will be funded.
6. MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE
6. 1. IMS International Steering Committee
The IMS International Steering Committee will oversee the IMS scheme. Members must be eminent representatives of the participants' industrial, academic, or governmental/public administration sectors who are knowledgeable in manufacturing issues. Members must be willing and able to devote the necessary time and effort involved in guiding the IMS scheme.
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6. 1.2.
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Composition. Two members and one observer from each participant will normally comprise a participant's delegation.
Selection of delegation members is at the discretion of each participant, in accordance with the appropriate laws and provisions of their respective participant governments/public administrations. Designation of alternate delegation members is recommended, but not mandatory.
Each delegation will have a head of delegation who will serve as the chief spokesperson for the delegation. Selection of the head of delegation is at the discretion of each participant, in accordance with the appropriate laws and provisions of their respective participant governments/public administrations.
Each participant's delegation to the meetings of the IMS International Steering Committee may be accompanied by two representatives from its designated Regional Secretariat. Additional attendance is at the discretion of the chair of the IMS International Steering Committee.
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6. 1.3.
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Consensus. The IMS International Steering Committee will reach decisions by consensus of its members.
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6. 1.4.
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Chair. The chair of the IMS International Steering Committee will rotate among the participants and will be decided by the IMS International Steering Committee. The term of each chair will last for 30 months. During the term when a participant chairs, that participant also is responsible for organising the Inter-Regional Secretariat. The participant which is to take the following term will serve as vice chair.
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6. 1.5.
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Responsibilities. The IMS International Steering Committee will determine policies and strategies for undertaking, and for the evolution of, the IMS scheme, including the matter of new participants. It will also:
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provide overall guidance, set strategic priorities, review, amend, and update Technical Appendices 3, 4, 5, 7, and 8 and additional Technical Appendices within the scope of these terms of reference, and oversee the implementation of IMS,
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oversee the Inter-Regional Secretariat and approve its budget,
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provide international promotion for IMS and for manufacturing as a generic discipline,
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endorse projects as provided in Section 10,
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set performance metrics of the scheme and provide a regular report in respect of same,
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ensure activities undertaken under this scheme are done in a manner consistent with the purpose, principles and structure agreed upon by the participants,
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foster communication among the International IMS Steering Committee, the Inter-Regional Secretariats, and the project consortium members,
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sponsor and approve new IMS documents, and
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form interim task forces or committees (e.g., for technical or legal issues), if necessary, to accomplish its work.
6. 2. Inter-Regional Secretariat
The participant that chairs the International Steering Committee will be responsible for organising and managing the Inter-Regional Secretariat. The Inter-Regional Secretariat's primary role is to execute the policies and actions as decided by the IMS International Steering Committee. The responsibilities of the IMS Inter-Regional Secretariat are listed in Technical Appendix 4.
6. 3. Regional Secretariats
The governments/public administrations and public organisations of the participants will organise and manage their respective Regional Secretariats in a manner they see fit. The responsibilities of the IMS Regional Secretariat are listed in Technical Appendix 5.
7. TRANSITION TO AND COMMENCEMENT OF THE IMS SCHEME
7. 1. Transition
It is the intention of the participants that IMS projects endorsed under the original scheme should be considered to be continued to be endorsed by the current ISC and its successor upon commencement of the new IMS scheme. Other IMS activities, including processing of applications to become a participant, shall continue without interruption.
7. 2. Commencement
The IMS scheme will commence upon:
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the ratification of the Terms of Reference for the IMS Scheme by at least three (3) participants. participants under the pre-existing IMS Scheme become new participants under this scheme when they ratify these Terms of Reference;
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the appointment of the members to the IMS International Steering Committee; and,
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the designation of the Regional Secretariats.
8. DURATION OF THE IMS SCHEME
participants will review the scheme every five years to determine whether it should be continued, modified or terminated. A participant may withdraw at any time subject to 12 months' notice to other participants.
9. ADMISSION OF NEW PARTICIPANTS
The IMS International Steering Committee can admit new participants. The procedures for admission of new participants are set forth in Technical Appendix 6.
10. FORMATION AND EVALUATION OF PROJECT CONSORTIA AND OTHER COLLABORATIVE INSTRUMENTS
The IMS International Steering Committee shall have the authority to set the procedures for: (i) project consortia and formation, evaluation and review; these procedures are set forth in Technical Appendix 7; and (ii) other collaborative instruments within the scope of these Terms of Reference.
11. SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES
The participants individually and the IMS International Steering Committee will develop mechanisms to enlist SMEs directly and indirectly in the IMS scheme. A representative list of these mechanisms is in Technical Appendix 8.
12. DISSEMINATION OF RESULTS
Dissemination of information is of the utmost importance and is required in the IMS scheme. However, all information dissemination must comply with the intellectual property rights provisions in Technical Appendix 1. This includes the dissemination of interim and final project technical results.
Information dissemination will occur at the project, regional and inter-regional levels. This dissemination shall be, but not limited to, written reports, international symposia, and publications by members of the academic sector.
Technical Appendix 1
Intellectual property rights provisions for research and development projects
OBJECTIVES
These provisions lay down mandatory requirements as well as recommended principles for PARTNERS which wish to participate in a PROJECT conducted within the Intelligent Manufacturing Systems Scheme (IMS SCHEME). The objectives of these provisions are to provide adequate protection for intellectual property rights used in and generated during joint research and development PROJECTS under the IMS SCHEME while ensuring:
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that contributions and benefits by PARTICIPANTS, from cooperation in such PROJECTS, are equitable and balanced,
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that the proper balance is struck between the need for flexibility in PARTNERS' negotiations and the need for uniformity of procedure among PROJECTS and among PARTNERS, and
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that the results of the research will be shared by the PARTNERS through a process that protects and equitably allocates any intellectual property rights created or furnished during the cooperation.