ATRIP will maintain its free academic spirit
In the next ATRIP conference, August 2019 in Nashville, USA, the current president of ATRIP, Daniel Gervais, will pass the baton to Professor Jens Schovsbo, who has been a member of the Executive Committee for several years. IPRinfo asked him about his visions of ATRIP and academic research.
Q(uestion): How do you see the role of academic research now that local and global challenges require fast and commercially feasible innovations?
A(nswer): I think that increasing the interaction between academia and business is important. It may lead to advances both in terms of basic science and applied knowledge. At the same time, it raises concerns. If the traditional and basic academic virtues of openness and academic freedom are not fully acknowledged and taken into consideration when formulating the basis for university/industry cooperation, short term goals may evaporate in long terms losses.
Q: New technologies have changed the pace and significance of traditional IPR. Are they still needed and/or what kind of solutions do you see to the new challenges to IPR?
A: Moving forward it is important to recognize that changes in technology – and in the culture surrounding technologies – necessitates new legal solutions. To some extent, this is going to require new rules and systems – or there will be a push for such. In those instances, I think one should be careful not to assume a priori that what has worked previously would work again. In particular, I would be cautious about accepting new claims for exclusivity.
Most of the changes, however, will have to take place within the existing framework. The basic structures of IPR are hard to change and the current systems are going to outlive us all. I think one of the main legal challenges is going to be how to continue to redevelop the existing rules and systems. In this, courts will play an important role. Other significant drivers of change could be user driven solutions such as new governance structures.
Q: In what direction will you develop ATRIP as the next president?
A: I think the most important task for me is to be able to continue the success of ATRIP. Hopefully, ATRIP can maintain its free academic spirit and thinking and continue to attract both senior and junior researchers from all regions of the world.
Q: Is there something else you would like to say to the readers?
A: For me ATRIP conferences have always been a little like a family gathering and a place to meet old friends and have new ones. I hope that the ever-growing ATRIP can keep that spirit alive.