DDG Hill stresses trade’s role in innovation at IP and Innovation Researchers of Asia event

DDG Hill reflected on the symbolic timing of the negotiations of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), which coincided with the release into the public domain of the World Wide Web, developed at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva. She noted how these two developments reshaped the global economy, embedding intellectual property into trade policy just as digital technology began redefining how knowledge is created and shared.

DDG Hill also emphasized how a balanced IP framework can support innovation ecosystems and attract investment. "Well-conceived and balanced IP regimes enable global collaboration, particularly in regions that have embraced technology as a strategic driver of growth," she noted.

Now in its 7th year, the annual IPIRA conference serves as an important platform for supporting emerging IP scholarship and research. This year’s edition saw the presentations of over 200 papers from scholars from 150 institutions focusing on a wide range of themes related to IP and innovation. Hasan Kleib, Deputy Director General at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) also addressed participants in the conference. The event brought together over 300 legal scholars and intellectual property (IP) researchers from across Asia and beyond.

Participants praised IPIRA’s role in shaping the regional intellectual property landscape. "IPIRA has significantly helped us refine our research and elevate the overall quality of our scholarship," said Associate Professor Althaf Marsoof of the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

Dr. Henny Marlyna, Assistant Professor at Universitas Indonesia, echoed this sentiment: "IPIRA has encouraged me to view intellectual property not just as a legal field, but as a powerful tool for shaping innovation policy and fostering economic and social development."