Vietnam, WIPO sign cooperation agreement to promote IP commercialisation

The signing took place in Hanoi on September 25 under the witness of Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung as part of a visit by WIPO director general Daren Tang.

Vietnam and WIPO signed a cooperation agreement in Hanoi. Photo: MST

The MoU aims to support policy and law making, human resource training, awareness raising, and business support to develop mechanisms for the commercialisation of IP.

According to the agreement, the two sides will focus on priority areas including perfecting the legal framework and IP strategy; increase the use of the international registration system; supporting small- and medium-sized enterprises and startups; promoting cooperation between universities and businesses; expanding training and propaganda on IP; applying digital and AI in appraisal; and supporting dispute resolution mechanisms.

The MoU is expected to open a period of more substantial and extensive cooperation between Vietnam and WIPO, especially in the context of the global trend shifting from protection to commercialisation of IP rights.

At the meeting, Minister Hung emphasised that after escaping poverty and becoming a middle-income country, Vietnam is entering the third stage of development, aiming to become a high-income country, based on the foundation of science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation. In this process, IP plays a particularly important role.

According to the minister, in the trio of sci-tech, innovation, and digital transformation, Vietnam considers innovation as the focus. The development perspective is defined as "innovation for all people", so every citizen can start a business, and produce and do business based on digital technology, scientific knowledge, and creativity.

Based on the orientation, the minister proposed that WIPO support Vietnam in building a patent map for 11 strategic technology groups approved in June. This is considered a key step, helping Vietnam quickly master technology and encourage research and development (R&D), thereby realising the goal of becoming a developed, high-income country based on knowledge and innovation.

Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung and WIPO director general Daren Tang at the meeting in Hanoi on September 25. Photo: MST

Minister Hung also asked WIPO to advise Vietnam on the architecture of a digital platform for IP management, based on the upgrade of the IPAS software currently operated by the Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam. The minister said that Vietnam wants a platform that is both international and suitable for domestic characteristics. When the system is completed, Vietnam is committed to sharing it with other countries through WIPO, contributing to common development.

Another important proposal was for WIPO to help Vietnam build a system to measure the impacts of innovation on economic growth. According to the minister, this is the key to encourage countries to increase investment in R&D. Vietnam also stated its readiness to participate in testing new WIPO initiatives to promote innovation globally.

In response, the WIPO director general congratulated Vietnam on its remarkable achievements in innovation. In just one decade, Vietnam has risen 32 places in the Global Innovation Index, from 76^th in 2013 to 44t^h currently. Tang said that Vietnam is a typical model, proving that IP and innovation can be successful even in developing and emerging countries.

Tang also highly appreciated initiatives from Vietnam, including the implementation of the Provincial Innovation Index, an initiative that many countries such as India, Cuba and Brazil are interested in learning. Regarding the proposal to create a patent map, he said this is a "powerful tool" and revealed that WIPO is developing a global community in this field.

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