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Innovators need to know basics of intellectual property

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For those people to be creative, innovate and to use the system to protect their rights and to exploit them economically, they have to be educated and know basics of intellectual property  


Lakshmi Kothaneth -


MUSCAT, April 27 -


Speed of innovation and inventions and the ability to protect the rights is one of the biggest challenges the world faces today according to Intellectual Property experts gathered in Oman.


The world celebrated World Intellectual Property Day and Oman marked the occasion with WIPO — Oman Workshop on Intellectual Property (IP) Education and Training being held at Ministry of Tourism. This year the focus is on innovation — improving lives.


How to deal with the challenges is what is being in focus at the event in Oman — especially in the global level in areas such as environment, health, medicines and education. Preparation is what is important, said the experts.


The two-day workshop is organised in cooperation with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) the WIPO Academy in collaboration with Ministry of Higher Education and is attended by WIPO experts and local experts in IP from the education, academic and technical sectors, Omani judiciary, private sector and several stakeholders and supported of intellectual property rights.


In his speech, Dr Hilal al Hinai, Secretary-General of The Research Council, said, “This workshop aims to come out with a clear road map accompanied with a measurable executive plan according to international performance indicators, in order to enable the Intellectual Property (IP) as a pillar in the national innovation system, which in turn will form a national innovation environment pursuant to unified national vision through interconnection and cooperation and harmony between all the parties involved with the sustainable development.


According to the Secretary-General, the workshop interprets the importance on institutional cooperation and communication, and comes with integrated efforts by all the stakeholders from the public and private sectors, represented by the IP pillar, under the national strategy for innovation. Thus it is considered as a communication and cooperation channel between the stakeholders in order to stimulate the initiatives for the national strategy for innovation, including IP initiatives, in order to enhance the innovation outcomes in Oman.


The Executive Director of WIPO Academy, Geneva, Sherif Saadallah said IP training is extremely important when moving towards innovation. “Creativity and innovation comes from individuals. The intellectual property system is based on their work and their creation. For those people to be creative, innovate and to use the system to protect their rights and to exploit them economically, they have to be educated and know basics of intellectual property. Today our cooperation with the Sultanate are at all levels, which lead to education and knowledge on IP whether it is on school level or higher.”


The opening ceremony saw awarding of five schools students who won in the competition held by WIPO in Oman. The completion was related to the understanding of IP. “We are also working with ministries and organisations for training government officials on IP to equip individuals to be ready to face new challenges coming up in the field of IP.”


Fatma al Ghazali, adviser to the Minister of Commerce and Industry for International Cooperation, said, the workshop has series of sessions and themes related to IP. The main aim is to come up with a national plan for IP training and education. “This national plan will be implemented with the resourceful support of WIPO Academy. What we are planning is to have vocational training, higher education and lower education here. What we are planning is to develop professionals in IP and literates in IP as well as raise awareness in different sectors.”


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