By Perpetua Onuegbu
Abuja – Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Offices (IPTTOs) in tertiary and research institutions help to meet industrial needs.
Dr Dan-Azumi Ibrahim, Director-General, National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), stated in an interview with the News Agency (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday.
He said IPTTO was to mainly stimulate the interest of scientists toward finding solutions to social and industrial problems in the country.
“Our universities and polytechnics are already centres of knowledge, but IPTTO is working hard to ensure outcomes of researches from these institutions are made available for industrial use speedily.
The D-G said to sustain the partnership, the competence of universities and polytechnics expertise were put to test continually.
“ As we continue to link them with the industries, it is expected to highlight the competence of those institutions in terms of standard of laboratories and expertise on a regular basis.
“ If an industry is looking for an expertise to solve a particular phenomenon, we have tried to raise a data base of them across the country’s higher institutions.
“This is essentially to provide the leverage for both the industries and the researcher to speedily agree on research contracts that could impact on the society’’, he said.
Ibrahim said IPPTOs was now being used to encourage non-academic researchers in the country’s ivory towers, adding that the development was helping to promote national socio-economic development.
“We have linked many researchers to industries that had required the outcome of their research findings in production and manufacturing of products and services.
“When the knowledge of these experts are put to good use, companies are created, jobs are created, the masses are empowered and the economy of the nation is better for i’’t, he said.
NAN reports that NOTAP has established thirty IPTTOs in universities, polytechnics and research institutions to promote interaction and strengthen the linkage between these institutions and industries.
The IPTTO is designed to develop a robust intellectual property rights portfolio through patenting, copyright and technology licensing to support institutions initiative in developing patent culture.
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