Cape Town, 24 May 2007
A draft law to protect intellectual property (IP), developed at state-funded institutions, should be ready by year-end, says science and technology minister Mosibudi Mangena.
Speaking after his opening of the Centre for High Performance Computing (CHPC), in Cape Town, yesterday, Mangena said the law is necessary to protect IP developed at local universities in order to encourage "relevant" research.
During his speech, Mangena spoke of his recent visit to Belgium, where government-funded research projects have to result in the registration of an innovation, patent or IP within five years of the project starting, otherwise the money is cut-off.
"This ensures research is relevant to the country and benefits it economically," he said.
Mangena also proposed science-oriented degrees should comprise some business and legal courses.
"Scientists are notoriously stupid when it comes to things such as what the business opportunities or the legal options are. Maybe they think to know such things is beneath them, but it is necessary," he said.
Just how a law protecting the IP developed at universities would be written is still to be worked out, but Mangena said it is important to ensure local innovation and research benefits the country economically.
He also pointed out that, in terms of government's broader economic strategies, the Department of Science and Technology is providing a platform that is capable of building a prosperous future for the country and its citizens.
Mangena said the establishment of the CHPC and the SA National Research Network lays the foundation for the advent of unlimited computing power, moving into the hands of scientists and other researchers.
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