The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) Intellectual Property (IP) Master Class produced its first graduates on June 29, 2018. The graduation took place at the DOST-PCAARRD Innovation and Technology Center (DPITC), PCAARRD, Los Baños, Laguna.
The ceremony served as the culmination of a five-month/six-module intensive training-workshop-mentorship on IP protection and management which started last February 14, 2018. This capability building initiative is part of PCAARRD’s effort in managing R&D outputs towards the vision of having a competitive innovation ecosystem in the agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources (AANR) sector.
State Colleges and Universities (SUCs) and Research and Development Institutes (RDIs) may be experts when it comes to R&D in their own sectors but are oftentimes novices and reluctant participants when it comes to the business side of technologies. The IP Master Class taught its participants on how to protect Intellectual Properties and the basics of commercialization.
To date, the graduates have filed 36 IP applications which include 21 patents and 15 utility models.
The graduates were taught on the whole patent application process flow through various learning methodologies such as lectures and workshops on IP protection and management; hands-on prior art searches and invention spotting; and mentorship on claim drafting and responding to formality examination reports. They also experienced actual filing of IP applications and personal interaction with examiners at the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL). The graduates have undergone and passed four mock exams, which simulated the actual qualifying exams for patent agents.
The graduates consist of 26 technology transfer officers from 11 agencies, which include five PCAARRD staff.
Dr. Reynaldo V. Ebora, PCAARRD Acting Executive Director, in his message, highlighted the success stories of the commercialized government-funded technologies. With this, he challenged the graduates to apply and practice all the learnings in the IP Master Class so that no technologies would be left unprotected.
“As technology transfer officers, you are the critical link that will guide our innovations from the laboratories out to the local community and eventually global market,” Ebora said.
After the IP Master Class, a Technology Commercialization Mentorship Series will be held on August 2018. It is another six-module training-workshop under the Project on Enhancing the Intellectual Property Management and Business Development Office of Consortia Member Agencies.