Universiti Brunei Darussalam's Tech Transfer Office and the Brunei Darussalam Intellectual Property Office, in collaboration with the China National Intellectual Property Administration, hosted a two-day patent examination workshop on June 24-25, 2024, at UBD Startup Centre. The workshop gathered officials from BruIPO, academics and graduate students from UBD, UTB, Politeknik Brunei, and legal practitioners from both BruIPO and private law firms to enhance innovation support through in-depth training.

At the opening ceremony, Professor Dr Mohammed Ayub Sadiq, Assistant Vice-Chancellor for Innovation & Enterprise at UBD, expressed gratitude to CNIPA for their technical support and expertise. He highlighted the training's dual benefits: enhancing Brunei Darussalam's innovation ecosystem and raising awareness of patent opportunities in China. Professor Sadiq emphasized the importance of developing skills for high-quality patent documents and improving overall innovation support. He anticipated these efforts would positively impact Brunei's ranking in the Global Innovation Index published by WIPO.

Also present were Ms. Norazizah binti Haji Mohd Ja'afar, Head of BruIPO at the Attorney General's Chamber and Ms. Meng Liyan, Director of Examination Plan Management Division, Patent Examination Administration Department, CNIPA.

Ms. Norazizah binti Haji Mohd Ja'afar, Head of BruIPO, highlighted the importance of supporting and protecting intellectual property in Brunei. She pointed to recent successes like the UTB Project Showcase at the Mid-Year Conference Exhibition 2024 and Teachmeguru's achievements in events as evidence of Brunei Darussalam's growing innovation culture. These examples showcase the immense potential and creativity within the nation.

The workshop led by CNIPA experts primarily focuses on capacity building in patent examination training participants to produce high-quality patent documents, a crucial activity for technology development and commercialization within any innovation and enterprise ecosystem. In addition to patent examination techniques, the workshop highlights the significance of conducting effective prior art searches, a critical step in ensuring the originality and viability of a patent application. This involves thoroughly searching existing patents and publications to determine whether an invention is novel and non-obvious, which are key requirements for obtaining a patent.

At the end of the two-day session, participants are expected to gain valuable insights and practical knowledge that will significantly contribute to the development of their respective organisations and ultimately foster a robust ecosystem for technological advancement and intellectual property management, for the greater good of Brunei Darussalam's national innovation landscape.