What can we do to help an industry worth £4.3 billion?
Give them access to a network of appointed intellectual property (IP) attachés to help them make the most of their business opportunities.
The attaché network was set up in 2011, and currently consists of four members based in Brazil, China, India and South East Asia.
They aim to:
- help companies understand the territorial nature of intellectual property rights (IPRs)
- take action to identify and protect their IP
- provide 1-2-1 business support with a local UKTI colleague
- work with local IP authorities to help the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) deepen its dialogue with their host governments
The IPO recently commissioned a review of the programme to identify how well this has worked for businesses and government officials.
Through surveys and in-depth interviews, they found that:
- 79% of business users rated their interactions with the attachés as valuable
- UK government has become more involved in local IP conversations and considerations than it ever was before
Local IP thought leaders and policy makers look to the attachés for best practice sharing and education of their own local stakeholders.
The evidence suggests that there are many areas where the attachés have provided value. The report has also identified areas for improvement. For instance we could be more pragmatic in communicating the attachés’ remit.
These valuable recommendations will lead the way on a refresh of the attaché programme.
If you want to find out more the full report is now available.
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