The fourth annual IP & Innovation Researchers of Asia (IPIRA) Conference was held on February 9-12 and featured 300 scholars from across the world. The virtual conference was co-hosted by law professor Irene Calboli.
Founded by Texas A&M Law professor Calboli in 2018, the IP & Innovation Researchers of Asia (IPIRA) Network co-organized the Fourth IPIRA Conference with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Academy, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the following academic institutions: International Islamic University Malaysia, Universitas Indonesia; Nanyang Business School, Nanyang Technological University, Texas A&M University and the University of Geneva. As in previous years, the Conference was additionally supported by a group of distinguished academic institutions in Asia-Pacific, Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Interested readers can find the full program of the Conference here and the abstracts here.
The Conference was opened by two keynotes delivered, respectively, by Hasan Kleib, Deputy Director General, Regional and National Development Sector, WIPO, and Annabel Gonzalez, Deputy Director General, WTO. Kleib’s presentation focused on the topic “WIPO Post-Covid Response” while Gonzalez discussed the topic of “Rethinking Trade and IP: Lessons from the Covid Crisis.”
As in previous years, the Conference hosted several parallel sessions focused on a variety of topics, including national and international responses to Covid-19, patents, biotechnology and access to medicines, copyright and culture, trademark protection, IP and competition, plant varieties, and traditional knowledge. Each parallel session was attended attend by a large number of attendees, including other presenters, officials from international organizations and national IP offices, and practitioners, all of who provided valuable comments and feedback.
The Conference also featured two plenary sessions. The first plenary session focused on “New Technologies and the Future of Intellectual Property Management” and included, amongst the distinguished speakers, Marco Aleman, Assistant Director General of the IP and Innovation Ecosystems Sector at WIPO. The second plenary session focused on “The Role of Intellectual Property for Sustainable Development” and included amongst the distinguished speakers Edward Kwakwa, Assistant Director General of the Global Challenges and Partnerships Sector at WIPO. Antony Taubman, Director of the IP and Competition Division of WTO, also spoke in both plenary sessions.
In addition to the stimulating presentations, presenters and participants had the opportunity to enjoy multiple brunches and wonderful cultural performances. The organizers are grateful to the many colleagues who took part in the Conference. Information about the Fifth IPIRA Conference, which will be held in 2023, will be announced in early Fall 2022.
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