The Conference Technology Dissemination System and the Role of Intellectual Property Rights, organised by the European Union (EU) funded project Capacity Building of the Institute for Intellectual Property Through the Establishment of Informational-Educational Centres of the Institute (CBIIP) was held in Hotel Hollywood in Sarajevo on 2^nd July 2015.

The Conference has gathered the most relevant users of intellectual and industrial property in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), a community of organisations, including among others, representatives of innovation centres, small and medium-enterprises (SMEs), clusters and universities, who, although not directly involved in creating innovation are considered to support and enhance the innovation and transfer of technology and are the facilitators of innovation and transfer of technology.

These stakeholders had the opportunity to exchange relevant information on the incorporation of intellectual property development resources as well as discuss the potentials of technology dissemination.  In addition, the role of the Information-Educational Centres (IEC) in this process was further presented including a clear set of activities on how the IECs can support the technology dissemination.

The Conference hosted three international speakers, Mr. Vladimir Yossifov, the previous director in the World Intellectual Property Organisation – WIPO; Prof. D. Habip Asan, President of the Turkish Patent Institute (TPE): and Mr. Johannes Werner, Head of International Relations of the Austrian Patent Office. These speakers have contributed to the exchange of information by discussing the intellectual property innovation systems along with a particular focus on the latest developments and innovative services of the technology transfer system in their countries.

“The Conference intends to offer more information concerning how intellectual property must be involved in the technology transfer with a special view on the situation in BiH,” said Bogdan Boreschievici, Team Leader, CBIIP.

The current situation in BiH on the innovation system and intellectual property involvement was chaired by Ms. Lidija Vignjevic, Director of the Institute for Intellectual Property of Bosnia and Herzegovina and was covered by three speakers from the Foundation for Innovation and Technology Development (INTERA) Technology Park Mostar, the Innovation Centre Banja Luka (ICBL) and the University of Travnik.