“The evaluation was conducted to analyze and evaluate the university’s research and development,” said an official of Evaluation who wishes to remain anonymous. “In doing so, we wanted to contribute to enhancing the national competitiveness of intellectual property as a whole.”
A total of 113 universities that each has more than 10 intellectual patents were evaluated on their activities regarding intellectual property. Hanyang University placed first with a score of 678 out of 900, Korea University second with 618, Pohang University of Science and Technology third with 590, and Ewha Womans University 11th with 468.
There were four sectors for the evaluation: intellectual property culture, intellectual property competitiveness, global competitiveness, and industry contribution. The culture sector evaluates university efforts on expanding curricula about intellectual property and activating students’ start-up culture.
The IP competitiveness category checks whether universities are making efforts to protect, manage, and apply intellectual property along with creating it. The global competitiveness and industry contribution sectors evaluate how intellectual property, which is created and protected by the universities, contributes to the real market.
Ranked 11th in overall evaluation, Ewha placed 6th on intellectual property culture, eleventh on intellectual property competitiveness, 13th on global competitiveness, and 14th on industry competence contribution.
Ewha received a relatively high evaluation for its intellectual property culture, which comprises criteria such as education, environment, and system. The school showed efforts to support students who are interested in intellectual property and who wish to participate in such intellectual property-related activities as academic seminars and invention contests.
“Ewha received a good score in providing education and environment for students interested in IP,” the official said. “With the encouraging environment and system, it turned out that about 205 students participated in seminars each time and took part four times a year on a regular basis.”
Recognizing the necessity for intellectual property development in universities, the government officially announced on Oct. 16 that the “Intellectual Property and Technique Value Evaluation Credibility Building Measure” will be mandatory by 2014. This measure has been finalized with affiliated departments, including the Presidential Council on Intellectual Property, as well as the Ministry of Science, ICT, and Future Planning (MSIP).
The MSIP strengthened the notion of “Town and Gown.” “Town” means the non-academic population, “gown” means the university community and the term means that university and industry should be connected and pursue research development together.
Ahn In-kyeong
iahn@ewhain.net