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UT institutions rise to No. 3 in world for most patents granted

University of Texas institutions are among the most innovative in the world.

UT institutions collectively are ranked No. 3 in the Top 100 Worldwide Universities Granted U.S. Utility Patents for 2019, released today by the National Academy of Inventors and Intellectual Property Owners Association. That’s up two spots from the 2018 ranking, in which the UT System ranked No. 5. 

The rankings are based on the number of U.S. patents issued to institutions of higher education in 2019.  In 2019, researchers from UT institutions were granted 276 utility patents from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

“This ranking reflects the ingenuity among researchers and scientists at UT institutions across the state,” UT System Chancellor James B. Milliken said. “And this ingenuity is driving discoveries that make a global impact, from advancing treatments and therapies for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases to developing new technologies that improve our quality of life and our nation’s competitiveness.”

Using data obtained from the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the report has been published annually since 2013 to highlight the vital role patents play in university research and innovation. Public and private research universities as well as university systems are included.

The top 10 universities worldwide in 2019, in order of ranking, are: The University of California System, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, The University of Texas System, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Stanford University, Tsinghua University, Johns Hopkins University, California Institute of Technology, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, and University of Michigan.

“The institutions included in this year’s report are leading innovation worldwide through their encouragement of academic discovery and invention,” said Paul R. Sanberg, president of the NAI. “We are proud to collaborate with the IPO for the eighth consecutive year to highlight universities that have made critical contributions to society.”

"University patents ignite a culture of growth and innovation which in turn stimulates the economy," said Jessica Landacre, executive director at the IPO. “The Top 100 Worldwide Universities Granted U.S. Utility Patents demonstrates which institutions excel in this arena.”

Across the 14 UT institutions, research and development expenditures total $3.1 billion – the second highest among U.S. public higher education systems.

About The University of Texas System

For more than 130 years, The University of Texas System has been committed to improving the lives of Texans and people all over the world through education, research and health care. With 14 institutions, an enrollment of nearly 240,000 students and an operating budget of $21.1 billion (FY 2020), the UT System is one of the largest public university systems in the United States. UT institutions produce more than 60,000 graduates annually and award more than one-third of the state’s undergraduate degrees and more than half of its health professional degrees. Collectively, UT-owned and affiliated hospitals and clinics accounted for more than 9.2 million outpatient visits and 1.8 million hospital days last year. Across UT institutions, research and development expenditures total $3.1 billion – the highest in Texas and second highest in the nation among public higher education systems – and the UT System is regularly ranked among the top 10 most innovative universities in the world. The UT System also is one of the largest employers in Texas, with more than 21,000 faculty – including Nobel laureates and members of the National Academies – and more than 85,000 health care professionals, researchers and support staff.

News Contact Information

Karen Adler: kadler@utsystem.edu • 512-499-4360 (direct) • 210-912-8055 (cell)