HT Correspondent
NAGAON, Oct 1: A week-long online faculty development programme on ‘Intellectual Property Rights, Patent, and Research’ was organised by IQAC, Khagarijan College, Nagaon, in collaboration with DPIIT-IPR Chair, Tezpur University, from September 25 to October 1, 2024, at the college premises here.
Over 130 faculty members and research scholars from different parts of India participated in the event.
The FDP aimed to enhance awareness and pedagogy regarding IPR and initiate knowledge empowerment among faculty members and research scholars to foster a culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, out-of-the-box thinking, and protection of research work within the academic community.
This has the potential to increase engagement in the academic community and also features a trickle-down effect by empowering the student community to understand IPR and the protection of research and inventions.
Dr Ramesh Nath, principal, Khagarijan College, inaugurated the FDP with a welcome address as the patron of the programme. Rayhanul Ahmed, convenor of the session, highlighted the guidelines of the FDP. Prof Pritam Deb, IPR chair professor, DPIIT-IPR Chair, Tezpur University, served as the patron for the FDP and delivered the first technical session on ‘IPR in Academia and Industry-Academia Linkage’.
Dr Mridul Dutta, in the following session, provided important insight into the Indian context by illustrating the entertainment industry and the issues of copyright that come with it. Dr Koushik Saikia spoke in depth about the patenting process and patentable inventions, followed by Dr Juri Borbora Saikia, whose take on the preservation of cultural heritage, cultural expressions, and local industries reflected today’s reality.
Dr Tania Paul Das’s thorough insight into ideation to product formation was a key part of the sessions. Siddhartha Devnath spoke on copyrights and trademarks, offering a complete overview of the scenario.
Dr Tapas Kumar Bandopadhyay focused on different legal frameworks and policies, giving participants a glimpse into the IPR management scenario.
Dr Pinaki Ghosh’s session on IPR and Artificial Intelligence addressed the demand of the changing dynamics of the present time. The participants engaged with IPR concepts and gained an understanding of various nuances of the scenario, learning about the patenting process, procedures, and the entire system, empowering their entrepreneurial spirit and motivating them to protect their intellectual property.
The emphasis on protecting local resources and preserving traditional knowledge systems was prominently highlighted in the FDP, with attendees brainstorming various issues related to biopiracy, tribal knowledge systems, and cultural heritage preservation using IPR.
Over 12 technical sessions were included in the FDP, comprising valuable lectures, engaging interactions, and brainstorming activities. Dr Koushik Saikia, research assistant, DPIIT-IPR Chair, Tezpur University; Bichitra Pegu, coordinator, IQAC, Khagarijan College; Maitreyee Dutta, assistant professor, department of English; and Rupali Talukdar, assistant professor, department of Economics, served as the joint coordinators for the smooth conduct of the programme, a press note added.
