Patent Industrialization Encouraged in Universities, Research Institutions
China will increase the patent industrialization rate of universities and research institutions nationwide, said the country's top intellectual property regulator.
The National Intellectual Property Administration (NIPA) has initiated a work plan, proposing that by the end of 2024, universities and scientific research institutions across the country should conduct assessments on their underutilized patents and accelerate the process of industrializing a selection of their high-value patents by the end of 2025.
The number of valid invention patents in Chinese universities reached 794,000 by the end of 2023, with scientific research institutions holding an additional 229,000 patents. These figures collectively account for a quarter of the total patents in the country, said Wang Peizhang, a senior NIPA official, at a recent press conference.
Wang emphasized market mechanisms, saying that the IP administration will coordinate with enterprises to analyze the industrial prospects of the patents of universities and scientific research institutions. The administration will also leverage market forces to mobilize enthusiasm from investment and service institutions to promote rapid transfers of high-value patents.
At the press conference other departments involved in the work plan also shared details of their efforts, such as training patent agents and providing financial support to patent holders in universities and research institutions.
China ranked first in the world for the number of international patent applications in recent years, and has prioritized enhancing patent industrialization as a move to support scientific innovation.