Research and Capacity-Building for A2K

Confirmed Speakers

Pedro Paranaguá, Center for Technology and Society at FGV-Rio
Nagla Rizk, American University in Cairo
Sudhir Krishnaswamy, National Law School of India
Hong Xue, University of Hong Kong
Moderating: Lea Shaver, Yale Information Society Project

Tuesday, 9 September, 16h00 - 17h30

Twenty years ago, a small group of industrial interests set out to push a certain way of thinking about intellectual property—that more is always better.  This approach was aggressively marketed worldwide and continues to dominate research, training and policy analysis in many countries. As the IP-maximalist approach gives way to an emphasis on A2K as the basis of innovation policy, it is time for a new approach to research and capacity-building as well.

This panel will look at efforts to build capacity for research, education, and policy analysis in support of A2K, with a particular focus on scholarship in developing countries. The panelists will speak from personal experience as researchers and teachers in the A2K field about the need for academic capacity-building and specific solutions that have already proven successful in their countries. 

The questions to be addressed will include:

• What are the problems with the current approach to intellectual property research and capacity-building in developing countries?
• What alternative approaches to research and capacity-building exist that are more supportive of A2K? 
• What are the challenges to developing academic capacity for A2K research, education, and policy analysis, and what are the keys to overcoming them?
• Why is it important to invest in academic capacity for A2K now? 
• What role should national governments and international organizations play in supporting these efforts?