Professor John Gyapong delivering his welcome remarks
The Technology Development and Transfer Centre of the Office of Research, Innovation and Development in association with ET Cube International held a seminar on “Intellectual Property Commercialization and Entrepreneurship” at the Conference Room of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research. The seminar was targeted at the staff of the Centre, Research Support Staff and Researchers at the University of Ghana.
The Pro Vice –Chancellor of Research, Innovation and Development; Professor John Gyapong in his remark indicated the University was repositioning itself as a full-fledged research university, where the impact of research would be instrumental in solving key problems in industry and local communities. He made mention of an Intellectual Property Policy that had been approved by the university Council for use at the University.
Professor Gyapong indicated that more often than not, researchers had been too quick to disclose their inventions or innovative research findings to third parties. As a result, the university had lost several opportunities to protect such inventions or innovations.
Mrs. Yumiko Hamano in her presentation
Mrs. Yumiko Hamano, a partner of ET Cube International, France in her delivery touched on the various types of intellectual property rights, patents versus publications, patent application procedures and the benefits of the patent system. Mrs. Yumiko indicated that the role of universities had changed in recent times (from education, creation and transfer of new knowledge to the public) to include Intellectual property and technology transfer management (such as research contracts, licensing, increased collaboration with industry, incubation and start-ups). She laid emphasis on the ownership of intellectual property, major challenges to commercialisation and the sharing of benefits from commercialisation. Mrs. Hamano further urged the University to manage, protect and utilise its intellectual property so as to derive maximum benefit from it.
Dr Surya Raghu in his delivery
Dr Surya Raghu partner of ET Cube International USA took participants through the traditional model of research and a new model that focused on an application based approach to solving problems. He also talked about the various aspects of taking an invention to a product (“idea to market”) and stressed the need to identify the readiness of a technology for the market. Participants were also exposed to key decisions and considerations for commercialisation. The seminar involves a mind simulating exercise on patentability.
Participants at the seminar
