ECAP II/AUN Regional Conference on IP Education and Networking, 28-30 May 2007, Bangkok

A regional conference on IP Education and Networking was co-organised by the EC-ASEAN Intellectual Property Rights Co-operation Programme (ECAPII)  and  the ASEAN Universities Network (AUN) on 28-30 May 2007 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the co-operation of the Chulalongkorn University. 

Over 50 academics from AUN member universities and EIPIN representatives combined their efforts to identify needs on IP education in the ASEAN  region, and to customize national IP curricula and to further develop a the ECAP II Regional Handbook on IP teaching prepared under the cooperation framework of EIPIN and AUN.

Opening the conference which was held in Chulalongkorn University,  Prof Dr Khunying Suchada Kiranandana, President’s of the university, said, “Knowledge of intellectual property issues is not yet widespread in Thailand and probably not even in this region.  Universities should therefore step up and play a leading role in empowering the public by providing knowledge and creating awareness of IP issues.  Such IP education should be customized in response to public needs.”

Mr. Erik Habers, Counsellor of the Delegation of the European Commission to Thailand said, “One of the most important factors for the success of any country’s intellectual property system is public understanding of the benefits of intellectual property.  A country with a strong IP system will encourage innovation and creation.  Therefore, educating the young generation and relevant circles on IP should be a priority in the national curricula of ASEAN countries”.

“Bringing IP education into the region’s universities will contribute greatly to the development and protection of IPR assets such as new patents; enhancing trade and investment between the EU and ASEAN as well as within ASEAN itself.”

Representatives from EPO Academy (Munich, Germany), the Queen Mary Intellectual Property Research Institute (QMIPRI, London , UK), the Centre for International Industrial Property Studies (CEIPI, Strasbourg, France) were also taking part of the forum.   They introduced their IP curricula and shared their experience in developing IP teaching including through the e-learning instruments . 

Another highlight of the conference was the signing ceremony creating the AUN Intellectual Property (AUNIP) sub-committee.  The main goal of this sub-committee is to promote and disseminate knowledge on IP in the ASEAN  region. The first meeting of the AUNIP will be organised in September 2007 in Thailand.

This regional conference went one step further in ECAP II continuous efforts to promote education on IP by bringing intellectual property (IP) issues into ASEAN universities’ national curricula.  ECAP II initiative dated back in 2004 when seven scholars from ASEAN countries were granted a scholarship for an intensive training course on IP in Europe - four months at the Munich Intellectual Property Law Centre (MIPLC) based at the Max Planck Institute in Munich (Germany) and two months at the Queen Mary Intellectual Property Research Institute in London (UK).

The promotion on IP Education was since continuously developed. Another milestone was achieved with the creation of a network between AUN and EIPIN on 22 November 2006.

More information on IP Education can be found in the section of IP Education and Networking (link) of this website.

Photo album

Presentation materials are available for downloading:

Session 1: 
Promoting IP curricula in ASEAN countries:  identifying regional capacities and need for IP education and reasearch by
   **  Prof Michael Blakeney, Director, Intellectual Property Institute, Queen Mary college and
        President of the European Intellectual Property Institutes Network (EIPIN), London, United 
        Kingdom
   **  Dr Roland Amoussou-Guenou (ppt, word), Head of IP Programmes and Visiting Lecturer WIPO
        IP University Coordinator, Asian Institute of TEchnology (AIT), Bangkok, Thailand
   **  Drs Harsojo (ppt, word), Department of Physics, Mathematic and Science Faculty, Sekip Utara,
        Gadjah Mada University, Yogyarkarta, Indonesia
   **  Prof Dr Khaw Lake Tee, Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
   **  Prof Marvic Mario Victor F. Leonen, Vice President for Legal Affairs, University of the Philippines
        System, Quezon City, Philippines
   **  Prof Bui Thi Thanh Hang, Faculty of Law, Vietnam national University - Hanoi, Vietnam

Session 2: 
Promoting IP curricula in ASEAN countries:  asset for business development
   **  Mr Franck Fougere, Managing Director, Vidon and Partners (Asia), IP Law Firm
   **  Mr Preeda Youngsuksathaporn, Department Manager, IP Management Unit (IPM) and
         International Affairs Department, National Innovation Agency, Thailand

Promoting IP curricula in ASEAN countries:  asset for business development
   **  Mr Chumpichai Svasti-xuto (IP Center/IP Training Center)  Head of Intellectual Property Centre, 
        Department of Intellectual Property (DIP), Ministry of Commerce, Thailand
   **  Ms Hsiao-Fen Hsu, Representative from CEIPI, Strasbourg, France
   **  Mr Ranggalawe Suryasaladin, Director, Research Institute for Technology Law, University of
         Indonesia, jakarta, Indonesia

Session 3
IP curricula and teaching materials:  possible best practices and networking
   **  Presentation of the ECAP II Handbook on IP Curricula and Teachning Materials by Prof
        Michael Blakeney
   **  Asso Prof Dr Pisawat Sukhonthapan, Faculty of Law, Thammasat University
   **  Mr. Khim Kiri, International Relations officer, Royal University of Law and Economics, 
        Cambodia
   **  Dr Phetsamone Khounsavath, Vice President Academic, Research and Postgraduate Affairs, 
        National University of Laos, Lao PDR   

Training courses provided by the European Patent Office's "European Patent Academy" and by the CEIPI as possible models for IP faculties in ASEAN
   **  Dr Roland Feinaeugle, Administrator Patent Information Promotion & Training, European 
         Patent Office, Vienna, Austria  
   **  Ms Hsiao-Fen Hsu

The potential of e-learning by
   **  Assoc Prof Steven Ang, Division of Business law, Nanyang Business School, Nanyang
        Technological University, Singpapore
   **  Dr Roland Feinaeugle

Session 4:  Promoting the AUNIP/EIPIN co-operation by
   **  Dr Nantana Gajaseni
   **  Mr David Elliott, Director for Arts and Society British council, Bangkok, Thailand
   **  Prof Michael Blakeney
   **  Ms Hsiao-Fen Hsu