A workshop on the role of intellectual property (IP) in promoting socio-economic development was jointly held by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Hanoi on May 9.

(Source: internet)

The event aims to bring intellectual property-related issues into policies and activities of sectors and socio-economic fields.

Participants highlighted the role played by IP in the development of industry, agriculture, culture, health, and education sectors.

They agreed that IP contributes to building orientations, targets, missions and measures, thus serving as a tool for realising development objectives of sectors, localities and the nation. 

The workshop discussed ways to bring contents concerning IP into socio-economic development polices amid the 4th industrial revolution, towards determining the role of ministries and sectors in integrating and developing IP issues in sectoral development policies, and acquiring experts’ recommendations for drafting the National Intellectual Property Strategy. 

Addressing the event, Minister of Science and Technology Chu Ngoc Anh stressed that countries worldwide have to rely on scientific and technology development and innovation to reach economic growth. 

Participants stressed the importance of State management agencies at all levels in outlining science- and technology-based socio-economic development policies, adding that it is necessary to create links for promoting innovation in research institutes, universities and enterprises. 

Andrew Michael Ong, WIPO Director for Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific said to maintain competitiveness, countries and companies must always be in the forefront of innovation in any form. 

Vietnam needs to improve capacity and efficiency of establishment, protection and enforcement of IP rights, as well as pay attention to raising public awareness of the importance of IP rights, respect and protection of IP rights, the official said.