National Model for Institutional IP Policies

Universities and research institutions are sources of innovative ideas and major generators of intellectual property (IP) in many countries, with enormous potential to influence social, economic and cultural development and to contribute to the welfare of society. At the same time, IP is an important mechanism for protecting valuable research results, providing ownership of creators and the ability to control wide dissemination.

Video: Creation of Institutional IP Policies for Academic Institutions in the Arab Region

Intellectual Property Management Framework

IP management is one of the biggest challenges for academic institutions. Therefore, creating an IP framework is crucial to ensure early disclosure of inventions, as well as to determine the institution's legal position on IP ownership, protection, conflict of interest, incentives, including benefit sharing, how to create a start-up based on technology developed in the laboratory, and so on.

Support for the Development of Institutional IP Policies

WIPO is committed to support Member States and their academic institutions by providing technical assistance in the development of institutional IP policies. In this context, WIPO has developed specialized IP resources (IP Policy Toolkit) and also provides advisory services and project support for the development of National Institutional IP Policy Models. This in turn will harmonize IP policy development for academic and research institutions at the national level.

To facilitate this process, WIPO provides successful case studies and lessons learned from projects implemented in various WIPO Member States.

How to build an Institutional IP Policy Model

Methodology applied in the development of National Model Institutional IP Policy in Jordan

Annotation of the WIPO project in Jordan aimed to support Jordanian academic institutions in developing institutional IP policies and the National Model Institutional IP Policy.

Phase 1: Assessment of the current technology transfer status

Experts engaged by WIPO assessed the current national and institutional status of technology transfer through a series of surveys that were sent to:

relevant government institutions to collect data on existing national laws, strategies, and/or policies related to IP and technology transfer; and
beneficiary institutions, to understand their current internal legal regulations and practices related to IP and technology transfer.

The timeline for this phase was three months from the launch of the project.

Phase 2: Analysis of the survey results on IP legal framework

The experts analyzed the data collected through a series of surveys to anticipate how the current status would affect the development and adoption of institutional IP policies and a National Institutional IP Policy Model.

This analysis helped identify the key legal provisions that any IP policy in academic institutions must comply with.

The timeline for the expert analysis and alignment was about three months after all the survey results were received.

Phase 3: IP Needs Assessment Matrix

Based on the results of the analytical assessment (outcome of phase 2), the experts developed the IP Needs Assessment Matrix for the beneficiary institutions in order to identify specific issues to be regulated at the institutional level in the beneficiary institutions.

The timeframe for this phase was one month.

Phase 4: Customized institutional IP Policy Skeleton

The results of phase 3 were used to develop a customized institutional IP Policy Skeleton for beneficiary institutions in Jordan.

The Skeleton highlighted the main parts of the institutional IP policy with reference to the existing legal framework and practices in the country in a schematic and user-friendly way that could be consulted by IP policy drafters.

The document was distributed to the beneficiary institutions in order to initiate the process of developing IP policy in phase 4.

The timeframe for the development of the IP Policy Skeleton and its dissemination was one month.

Phase 5: Institutional IP policy drafting

After receiving the Skeleton of the IP policy, the beneficiary institutions prepared and submitted the first drafts of their institutional IP policies to WIPO experts for review and consultation.

The timeframe for this phase was three months.

Phase 6: Review of the IP policy drafts by WIPO's experts

WIPO experts reviewed the drafts received from the beneficiaries, identified strengths and weaknesses, provided feedback that was followed by discussions, consultations and coaching sessions with the beneficiaries. Assistance was provided through general events and individual meetings with the beneficiaries.

This phase also included the identification of common points in the submitted projects, which would become the main pillars of the National Model Institutional IP Policy.

The timeframe of this phase was three months.

Phase 7: National Institutional IP Policy Model Development

This phase involved the development of a National Institutional IP Policy Model based on the identified best practices in the beneficiary institutions as indicated in their draft IP policies, taking into account the IP Policy Skeleton (phase 5) and the WIPO IP Toolkit.

The development of the national model was an interactive process involving consultations between experts and project partners - WIPO, the IP Office and the beneficiary institutions.

The timeframe for this phase was one month.

Phase 8: Government approval of the National Institutional IP Policy Model

After receiving endorsement from all project stakeholders, the draft National Model Institutional IP Policy was submitted through the IP Office to the Ministry of Higher Education and other relevant government institutions for the official approval.

The Ministry of Higher Education circulates the National Model Institutional IP Policy to all universities and academic institutions in the country in order to harmonize the process at the national level and facilitate the development of institutional IP regulations on issues of particular importance to TT, such as IP ownership, etc.

The timeframe for this phase was two months.

Phase 9: Application of the National Model Institutional IP Policy on an institutional level

Since the official circulation of the National Model Institutional IP Policy to all academic institutions in the country, beneficiary and non-beneficiary academic institutions have aligned their existing IP policies or created new ones, but always with their specific strategic goals, needs and context in mind.

This process is ongoing.

National Institutional IP Policies Model based on the WIPO IP Toolkit

ARIPO's Guidelines on Elaboration of IP Policy and Strategy

After the situational IP analysis commissioned by WIPO, the Guidelines on Elaboration of Intellectual Property Policy and Strategy have been developed to help research institutes/universities in Africa to put in place institutional IP policies and strategies that are in line with prevailing national and regional legal frameworks.

IP Policies in Belarus

In 2020, under the National Project of WIPO and the Government of the Republic of Belarus, the National Institutional IP Policy Model for Universities and Research Institutions in Belarus was developed and launched.

Within the next phase, a team of experts has been engaged to develop institutional IP policies, in line with the elaborated Model, as well as national conditions and needs.

A list of IP policies in Belarus academic institutions is available.

Model Guidelines for IPR Policies in India

In 2019, the Department for Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade (DPIIT) of India in cooperation with WIPO developed the "Model Guidelines on Implementation of IPR Policy for Academic Institutions" (Model Guidelines).

The model guidelines prove to be a ready reckoner as a policy document, helping academic institutions to adopt the model guidelines and/ or formulate their own IPR policy. Some IP Policies of academic and research institution in India are available.

Template of an Institutional IP Policy in Jordan

In 2020, the Industrial Property Protection Directorate (IPPD) at the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply (MoITS) of Jordan announced its joint initiative with WIPO: the development of a general structural template of institutional IP policy that could be customized to be adopted among all of the higher educational institutions in Jordan.

As a result, the Institutional IP Policy for Universities and Research Institutions in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, has been developed.

In the framework of this initiative, several universities decided to create an IP policy. Examples of IP policies in Jordan universities.

Model Regulations on the Management of IP in Kyrgyzstan

After several events organized by WIPO in the Kyrgyz Republic, the State Service of Intellectual Property and Innovation under the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic (Kyrgyzpatent), in consultation with a Working group, developed the Model Regulations on the Management of Intellectual Property Rights in Higher Education and Research Institutions of the Kyrgyz Republic.

IP policies approved by universities and research institutes based on the Model.

Institutional IP Policy Model in Morocco

In 2020, the National Model IP Policy for Academic and Research Institutions was developed based on the WIPO IP Policy Template and in compliance with Moroccan IP and innovation Laws.

In addition, with assistance of WIPO and OMPIC (Moroccan Office of Industrial and Commercial Property) several selected universities developed their own institutional IP Policy.

The National Model IP Policy and adopted IP Policies will serve as models and enable other universities and research institutions in Morocco to develop their own institutional IP Policy.

Russian Federation's Institutional IP Policy and Capacity Building

Within 2016-2018 period, WIPO, in collaboration with the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, Rospatent; and Bauman University created the Pool of National Experts; developed and launched the National Model of IP Institutional Policy for Universities and Research Institutions; and organized over 20 capacity building trainings for academic institutions all over the Russian Federation.

A collection of IP Policies from Universities and Research Institutions in the Russian Federation.

South Africa's easy guide for Intellectual Property Policies

The National Intellectual Property Management Office (NIPMO) in South Africa received many requests from institutions for guidance on how to update existing or draft new IP policies.

NIPMO had to look no further than the IP Policy Toolkit developed by WIPO.

In light of this need, NIPMO published Guideline 8.2 of 2021 titled: Intellectual Property Policy: An Easy Guide.

IP Policies from Universities and Research Institutions in South Africa.

Viet Nam's IP Policy Template for Universities and Reasearch Institutions

In 2021, the IP Policy Template for Universities and Research Institutions in Viet Nam has been developed, based on the WIPO IP Toolkit, to provide objective information that will support national IP policy drafters.