The Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur and Microsoft India, launched the Microsoft Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Property Research and Technology Policy in February to help enhance the Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law enhance its attempt at equipping professionals from technological backgrounds in IP law.
The Microsoft Intellectual Property Scholar Program will provide scholarships to students in recognition of their academic excellence and encourage the establishment of a knowledge bank in the area of IP. The program will also offer ‘Outstanding Faculty Fellowships’ which are aimed at enhancing the teaching mission by exposing both faculty and students to the latest research, which could be integrated into the practice of intellectual property.
The program will also help create a repository of publications and IP policy toolkits for government agencies and regulators and will provide courses on IP law and management for industry, academia and government and seminars and workshops for policy makers.
“Effective innovation and IP creation are key drivers for the Indian industry’s value generation,” said PP Chakrabarti, dean of IIT Kharagpur. “For a sustained economic benefit it is very important to increase India’s share with regard to software products.”
Chakrabarti added that since a large proportion of future entrants into Indian industry are expected to be small and medium sized enterprises, the importance of IP assumes greater importance. “It is imperative that our students understand the dynamics in the field of IP, and this centre will go a long way in ensuring that.”
Rakesh Bakshi, associate general counsel for Microsoft India agreed. “If India [is] to achieve the status of a truly knowledgebased economy, fostering innovation and creating a strong IPR environment is critical,” he said. “This partnership takes forward the commitment of fuelling continuous innovation, which, we hope, will culminate into a flourishing local software industry.”
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