WIPO-ASEAN Regional Meeting for Presenting the Projects on Institutional IP Policies and on IP Valuation

A Regional Meeting held in Jakarta, Indonesia, highlighted the successful outcomes of two WIPO-ASEAN Regional Projects. The meeting, which took place on June 26 and 27, 2023, in collaboration with the ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC), brought together project teams, national focal points, IP Offices from ASEAN Member States (AMS), and WIPO officials. Both projects, funded by FIT/Japan, focused on the Development of a Regional IP Policy Model for Academic Institutions and IP Valuation.

The first day of the meeting centered around the IP Policy Project, commencing with the presentation of the Final Assessment Report. The report synthesized national reports and findings, assessing existing legal frameworks and IP institutional policies in the region. It also introduced a Draft Institutional IP Policy Model for ASEAN Universities and Research Institutions. This customized regional template aims to facilitate the creation of IP policies in academic institutions and incorporates the WIPO IP Policy Toolkit. To better reflect regional realities, adjustments were made, including the addition of subjects such as socially responsible IP commercialization, contractor rights, and new definitions.

Throughout the day, international and regional experts delivered presentations specific to each AMS, sharing insights and discussing next steps.

On the second day, the focus shifted to the IP Valuation Project. Presentations highlighted the project's objectives, methodology, key findings, and recommendations for commonly acceptable IP valuation principles and practices in ASEAN. The discussions revealed the following key points:

• IP valuation is currently not uniformly applied in the region, primarily limited to financial transactions, licensing, mergers and acquisitions, and asset sales.
• There is a relatively low awareness and demand for IP valuation across ASEAN countries.
• The types of IP valuation in use are limited, and there is a lack of harmonized standards, resulting in variable content and quality of valuation reports.
• Addressing current obstacles, including data reliability, demand for IP valuation, cohesive policy frameworks, and improved IP deployment, is crucial.
• The scarcity of skilled valuation professionals with a deep understanding of IP is a significant impediment to including IP considerations in business valuation and IP-based financing.
• The data collection process confirmed the desire and usefulness of an IP Valuation Toolkit and training programs to enhance IP valuation capabilities.

Following the presentations, international and regional experts shared country-specific insights, and discussions were held on the next steps for incorporating IP valuation practices within the ASEAN region.

The reports from both projects are currently being reviewed by the corresponding national IP Offices of each AMS and will be sent for discussion and approval by the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC).

WIPO reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with ASEAN to ensure the effective utilization of these project outcomes. The objective is to contribute significantly to the regional strategy and foster an enhanced IP ecosystem within ASEAN. These initiatives will further promote innovation, protection, and commercialization of intellectual property rights in the region, fostering economic growth and technological advancements.