Intellectual property brings INESC TEC and the University of Ghana together

The European Patent Office (EPO) aims to strengthen relations between European and African technology transfer offices to promote innovation and technology transfer through the sharing of experience, knowledge and good practice. Through the PATLIB Knowledge Transfer to Africa (KT2A) initiative, the EPO has been fostering closer relationships between the two continents. Most recently, this effort has brought together INESC TEC and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), based in Kumasi, Ghana.

“This is a very interesting challenge because, although we share some common difficulties when it comes to the commercialisation of intellectual property, the ways of addressing those challenges can be significantly different, given the major contextual differences,” said Daniel Vasconcelos.

According to the head of INESC TEC’s Technology Transfer Office (TTO), the main goal of this collaboration with KNUST is to build a strong synergy based on mutual learning, support and the development of an international network capable of addressing major societal challenges.

Driven by the PATLIB network, and coordinated by the EPO, the KT2A initiative connects organisations through a twinning approach. This enables teams responsible for intellectual property management to interact informally, exchange information about their respective contexts, and share good practices and case studies.

“We are very enthusiastic about contributing to and engaging in the KT2A initiative,” Daniel Vasconcelos added. “We focus on the joint improvement of both teams, through training and mentoring activities, which are central to this programme. We will have the opportunity to support the development of KNUST’s TTO by sharing our experience and the work we have carried out in the field of intellectual property. At the same time, we will be able to learn from our colleagues at KNUST, who operate in a very different context.”

Launched in 2022, the KT2A initiative seeks to promote innovation and technology transfer through the exchange of experience, knowledge and good practice across the PATLIB network. This network brings together more than 300 institutions – including INESC TEC – across 37 European countries.

The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology is a public university with a strong dedication to science, technology, engineering and innovation. Located in Kumasi, Ghana’s second-largest city, KNUST is recognised for the close links to research, technology transfer and entrepreneurship, and for its active role in intellectual property, innovation and international collaboration.