Patent Journey: Mapping the Path to Academic Innovation 

The ICT Café at the HERO Learning Commons, Caraga State University, became a hub of intellectual exchange as representatives from various SUCs across Caraga gathered for the "Patent Journey: Mapping the Path to Academic Innovation" workshop. This three-day event, organized by the Technology Transfer and Licensing Office (TTLO) through the RAISE Program, aimed to equip faculty, librarians, and ICT representatives with essential patent searching skills.

Day 1: The workshop began with a warm welcome and insightful remarks from Dr. Jeffrey T. Dellosa, Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Extension (VPRIE). Dr. Dellosa highlighted the critical role of Intellectual Property (IP) in academia and reflected on the early days of the Innovation Technology Support Office (ITSO) when IP awareness was minimal within the university. His message underscored the importance of IP in fostering academic innovation.

Following the opening remarks, participants had the privilege of learning from Engr. Wilfredo "Fredo" O. Calaguan, OIC Division Chief of Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines' IP Business Services and Development Division (IPBSDD), and IP Rights Specialist III, Engr. Maria Conception "Maricon" Zabala. Their comprehensive lectures covered the Philippine IP System, patent information and documentation, types of patent searches, keyword strategies, patent terminology, and the international patent classification system.

Day 2: On the second day, participants delved deeper into patent search tools, databases, and strategies. They engaged in a hands-on workshop, applying the knowledge gained to real-world scenarios, thereby sharpening their patent searching skills.

Day 3: The final day featured presentations by participants, followed by insightful feedback from the resource persons. Engr. Fredo further enriched the session with a lecture on patent mining, while Engr. Maricon presented a Patent Landscape Report on sugarcane, providing a practical example of how patent data can be leveraged for research and development.

The workshop culminated in the ceremonial opening of the Patent Search Corner at the ICT Café, a new resource designed to make patent searching more accessible to students and faculty. The event concluded with the awarding of certificates and closing remarks by Prof. Kenneth Ciudad, Director of TTLO at Caraga State University.

Representatives from North Eastern Mindanao State University (NEMSU), Agusan del Sur State College of Agriculture and Technology (ASSCAT), and Caraga State University participated in this enriching event. By equipping librarians, ICT center representatives, and faculty members with the tools to facilitate patent searching, the workshop has significantly contributed to making knowledge more accessible to the public.

Check out this Facebook reel from IPOPHL-Patent Information Search and Analytics to view a short clip of the launching of the Patent Search Corner. Watch it here: https://www.facebook.com/reel/3067433250065901

The RAISE Program extends its heartfelt gratitude to the distinguished resource persons, Engr. Fredo Calaguan and Engr. Maricon Zabala, for their invaluable expertise.

Together, we are paving the way for academic innovation in Caraga!