UBD participates in WIPO Regional Meeting On Strengthening ASEAN TISC Network

UBD participates in WIPO Regional Meeting On Strengthening ASEAN TISC Network

March 27, 2023

SURABAYA, Indonesia, 27 March 2023 - The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and Directorate General Intellectual Property (DGIP), Ministry of Law and Human Rights of Indonesia co-organized the two-day Regional Meeting on Strengthening The ASEAN Regional Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) Network held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel from 27-28 March 2023. Members from national IP offices and TISC networks from respective ASEAN member states were in attendance.

Representing the Brunei Government at the meeting was Sheikh Abdul Khaliq Bin Dato Paduka Sheikh Hj Abd Gani, Deputy Registrar at Intellectual Property Office Brunei Darussalam (BruIPO) and UBD was represented by Abdul Hanif bin Haji Morsidi, IP Officer from the Office of Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Innovation & Enterprise).

Present as the Guest of Honor was Her Excellency Mrs. Sri Lastami, Director of IP Cooperation and Empowerment at the Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DGIP), Ministry of Law and Human Rights of Indonesia. In her welcoming address, she expressed gratitude to WIPO for their unwavering support in organizing the event and highlighted its importance in co-creating and actualizing the ASEAN TISC Network Action Plan. Mrs. Lastami also acknowledged WIPO's close collaboration with the ASEAN TISC network, ensuring the functional support required to operate their centers seamlessly. She expressed hope that the meeting would prove beneficial to all participants, providing a platform for sharing information on developments, best practices, and experiences from respective ASEAN member states, ultimately improving the management of TISCs across the region.

The meeting commenced with a presentation from a WIPO representative, who provided updates and insights on the TISC project's progress under the organization's purview. The presentation also included a comprehensive overview of the various initiatives and programs aimed at enhancing the resilience and sustainability of the ASEAN TISC network.

The highlight of the first day was the sharing of new developments, progress, and success stories from the various ASEAN member states through their country report presentations. Each member state provided an overview of the progress and new developments in their respective TISC networks. The country report presentation for Brunei Darussalam was given by Abdul Hanif bin Haji Morsidi, IP Officer from UBD.

The first day session concluded with a moderated round-table discussion, where participants had the opportunity to deliberate on the common problems and issues related to TISC management. The participants discussed how best to address these challenges as a unified ASEAN TISC network.

On the second day of the meeting, participants were treated to a special public lecture by Ms. Emily A. Abrera, President of the Foundation for Communication Initiatives (FOCI) in the Philippines. Ms. Abrera spoke on how to mount a successful multimedia campaign for the TISC network's services and programs, providing valuable insights and strategies to help expand the visibility of each respective TISC and improve the impact of its services and programs through effective communication, advocacy, and campaigns.

Following the lecture, a moderated round-table discussion was held by WIPO to review the ASEAN TISC Action Plan and its way forward. The board unanimously agreed to include TISC advocacy and promotion as a new key focus area under the existing action plan. Common strategies such as an ASEAN TISC Advocacy Guideline were discussed to ensure TISC advocacy is given equal importance.

To kick-start the initiative, the meeting proceeded with the signing of the ASEAN TISC Network Advocacy Pledge, a non-binding statement that recognizes the importance of establishing a regional network of Technology and Innovation Support Centers (TISCs) in ASEAN Member States. The pledge aims to increase access to global scientific and technology information for research and development, as well as raising awareness among potential beneficiaries about the services offered and its use by the regional network of TISCs in ASEAN Member States. Members from each respective ASEAN member state signed the pledge, witnessed by HE Mrs. Sri Lastami and WIPO representatives. Brunei Darussalam was represented by Sheikh Abdul Khaliq Bin Dato Paduka Sheikh Hj Abd Gani, Deputy Registrar of BruIPO.

The two-day meeting concluded with a campus tour of Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya. Delegates were exposed to the university's initiatives in the fields of research, enterprise, and innovation, with a highlight being the visit to Teaching Industry laboratories. The university successfully collaborated with several industry partners to open up labs and conduct research and development, resulting in remarkable inventions and innovations that are patent-protected and highly commercializable in the market, both regionally and globally.

The establishment of TISC is a global initiative under WIPO that aims to promote the technology, research, and innovation ecosystem by providing resources and technical support. Brunei Darussalam successfully established its own TISC network with UBD as the first host institution on 7 March 2023, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between BruIPO and UBD. It is hoped that the Brunei TISC network will grow and expand in the coming years with more academic institutions and relevant bodies on-boarded as host agencies.