IP Week in Uganda
June 2, 2023
WIPO organized IP week in Kampala, Uganda, from February 21 to 24, 2023, in partnership with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB).
The IP week targeted stakeholders from Universities, Research & Development (R&D), and Innovation Hubs, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and key policy-makers from the relevant government ministries and agencies. Two back-to-back workshops were held over a period of four days. The first two-day workshop was mainly for Universities, R&D Institutions, and Policy Makers, and the second two-day workshop was mainly for Innovative and Competitive SMEs.
The objectives of the workshops were;
- To promote effective IP commercialization and technology transfer for Universities, and R&D institutions - as key generators of new knowledge, innovations and IP assets.
- To create awareness among SMEs of the various channels for generation, protection and commercialization of their IP assets as tools for business growth.
Furthermore, the IP week also created general IP awareness and highlighted the significance of IP as a tool for economic development.
The workshops were opened by the remarks from Ms. Mercy K. Kainobwisho, the Registrar General of Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), Mr. Outule Rapuleng, the Head of ARIPO Academy, and Mr. Hidemoto Fukuzawa, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Republic of Uganda.
From universities, innovation hubs, R&D institutions, SMEs, Business community, the private sector, and relevant policy makers related to trade and innovation in Uganda, 95 participants attended the first two-day workshop and 116 participants attended the second two-day workshop.
