adminAleck Ncube, Intellectual property
THE new dispensation ushered in by the new Government led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa has vowed and reignited its drive to champion respect for Intellectual Property (IP) protection, as well as usage as a tool for economic development in its quest to revive the ailing Zimbabwean economy.
As a former Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and former chair of the Council of Ministers of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO), the President is, therefore, regarded as a man well versed with Intellectual Property issues. He is credited for his work in enabling the crafting of the draft National IP Policy and Strategy Document, which will soon be launched in Harare.
President Mnangagwa officiated as a Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs during the inauguration of the new ARIPO headquarters in 2016.
Last week I attended the official opening of the Midlands State University (MSU) Incubation Hub by His Excellency the President of Zimbabwe, on the 6th of June. This occasion points to the readiness of his Government to effectively use IP in economic development cognisant of the 4th Industrial revolution momentum, which considers that rapid emerging technologies like internet of things, artificial intelligence, wearables, robotics and additive manufacturing are spurring the development of new production techniques, business models and value chains that will fundamentally transform global production.
Besides promoting IP protection in industry and commerce, the President pronounced his desire to see the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, play a pivotal role in the protection, registration and commercialisation of IP in Zimbabwean universities. At the official opening of the MSU Incubation Hub, he succinctly pointed out that: “It is fundamental for Zimbabwe to begin to reward those who would have put effort in creativity and innovation. They should be encouraged and recognised through awards, prizes as well as the requisite protection of their intellectual property”.
The envisaged opening of Incubation Hubs in Zimbabwean universities lays the foundation for economic transformation by designing and creating knowledge societies. Knowledge is a key factor of production in the global village, which makes possible a paradigm shift away from natural resources endowments such as land and mineral resources towards the production of complex products. The knowledge economy is one in which Intellectual Property (IP) and information systems take centre stage and drive an ever-increasing pace of scientific and technological advances.
Incubation hubs vary in the way they are established and managed. They can be founded as independent legal organisations by state and local governments, universities, and research institutes, development foundations, private corporations or any combination of those. Academic Incubation Hubs are affiliated with universities and colleges and share some of the same objectives of public and private incubators. In addition, they are actively engaged in transferring research and development activities, spinning-off university research efforts, providing faculty with research opportunities, and alumni, faculty and associated groups with start-up business opportunities. The so-called hybrid Incubation Hubs and incubators are joint efforts of Government, non-profit agencies and/or private developers. These partnerships may offer the Incubation Hubs access to Government funding and resources, and private sector expertise and financing.
The importance of universities as sources of knowledge for firms has been widely recognised and different policies to facilitate academia-industry relations have been adopted and Innovation Hubs are a big game changer. Although universities in Zimbabwe deliver quality degrees, years of national economic decline have led to substantially reduced state support. Greatly increased student recruitment is helping to enhance revenues but without additional investment in staff, maintaining quality in teaching and research becomes difficult. There is, however, a university resource that remains largely untapped in Zimbabwe, namely Intellectual Property (IP) or new ideas arising from research that would have commercial potential if developed appropriately and used to engage industry or stimulate enterprise. The setting up of incubation hubs will transform the research and development landscape in Zimbabwean institutions of higher learning. The main aim is to realise the commercial potential of Intellectual Property generated within universities. Incubation hubs work with university “inventors” to exploit their IP and scientific know-how, and forge mutually beneficial industrial partnerships. Innovation Hub professionals will be dedicated to identifying quality IP and generating business outputs that become self-sustaining. Revenues generated are used to maintain the operations of the hub, including an incentivising percentage for originating “inventors”.
As research becomes increasingly perceived as a resource for profitable venture, business and industry will be encouraged to invest more broadly in university research. Incubation hubs act as a technology research and scouting organisation, proactively identifying the country’s needs, solutions and sources for useful innovations.
They work with local researchers and other research institutes to tailor solutions for local conditions and lastly they are supposed to spin out to local businesses and entrepreneurs. When fully operational, incubation hubs are supposed to enable the acquisition, transfer and utilisation of technology to and from the universities in a more responsible manner so that the institutions become accountable to the Government, the public who are the tax payers and the inventors.
The incubation hubs are also supposed to facilitate and strengthen links between the universities and the private sector including industry, small and medium enterprises, and to foster collaboration.
Incubation hubs are also supposed to act as a provider of incentives to local researchers, so that they benefit from the royalties from the commercialisation of their inventions and facilitate the generation of income for the university.
*Aleck Ncube is an Intellectual Property scholar based in Bulawayo. He can be contacted on Mobile: +263712374408 Skype: Matintas1 Twitter: @aleckncube Alternative E-mail: [email protected]
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Bongani Ndlovu