Hanoi, Vietnam – To celebrate World Intellectual Property Day 2023, WIPO announced the theme of World Intellectual Property Day 2023 as “Women with Intellectual Property – Driving Innovation”. A series of events under the exhibition “Intellectual property and innovation results of Vietnamese female intellectuals” has taken place in Vietnam on the occasion of World Intellectual Property Day 2023 from 21 thru 22 April 2023.
As you are aware, World Intellectual Property Day takes place every year on 26 April. It was established by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in 2000 with an aim to (i) raise awareness of how patents, copyright, trademarks and designs impact on daily life and (ii) to celebrate creativity and the contribution made by creators and innovators to the development of economies and societies across the globe. 26 April was chosen as the date for World Intellectual Property Day as it coincides with the date on which the Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization entered into force in 1970. The international campaign presents a special opportunity each year to join forces with people all around the world to celebrate innovators and creators globally and discover how IP supports a flourishing music and arts scene and boosts technological innovation that helps shape our world.
On such an occasion, the Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam (IP Vietnam) collaborated with the Vietnam Women’s Intellectuals Association and related units to organize a Seminar on “Some issues on intellectual property in the cooperation of universities, research institutes and enterprises”. The representative of IP Vietnam emphasized that in Vietnam, science and technology is one of eight areas of the national goal of gender equality. Women are increasingly making great contributions to scientific research and technological development, thereby contributing to the development of the country’s economy. However, the representative believes that there is still a huge gender inequality in innovation activities. According to WIPO statistics in 2020, only 16.5% of internationally registered inventions are in women’s names, which is a very small number. In the United States, the number of patents registered in women’s names is only half that of men. Thus, the contribution of women in general in innovation activities and in socio-economic development is still not commensurate with the reality and potential of women. Therefore, facilitating and supporting women to access information sources, linking research activities with production and business through the relationship between research institutes, universities and enterprises associated with the protection, exploitation and protection of intellectual property rights is essential.
In the meantime, experts from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and IP Vietnam presented the contents of the link between universities, research institutes and enterprises as well as the supporting activities of intermediaries to connect, share information and establish mutually beneficial relationships, and at the same time, raise a number of noteworthy issues about intellectual property in this cooperation activity. Accordingly, the parties need to determine the goals of cooperation, intellectual property rights created from cooperation, enforcement and handling of arising situations, related subjects, especially scientists need to equip themselves with basic knowledge and seek professional advice, and to ensure signing of confidentiality agreements (before, during and after cooperation).
Also to celebrate World Intellectual Property Day, at Quang Trung Software Park (HCMC), more than 500 people walked together. The walking companion program is part of the series of activities of “Intellectual Property Week” in Ho Chi Minh City organized by the Copyright Office (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism), and IP Vietnam (Ministry of Science and Technology), Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology, Ho Chi Minh City Labor Confederation, Ho Chi Minh City Women’s Union in collaboration with Ho Chi Minh City Intellectual Property Association and Vien Dong College organized office.
For further information, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected] and/or [email protected].
