DOST-7 drives tech commercialization as HEIs tackle Intellectual Property gaps

 
CEBU CITY — A survey of higher education institutions (HEIs) in Central Visayas revealed a significant gap in institutional frameworks for innovation-- out of 13 colleges and universities surveyed, only five have an established Intellectual Property (IP) Policy, just two possess a Technology Transfer Protocol, and none have a Spinoff Policy.

To bridge these gaps and bolster the region’s research-to-market pipeline, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Regional Office VII gathered nine academic institutions for a three-day Intellectual Property Policy Training-Workshop, running from July 29 to 31, 2026, at the DOST Central Visayas Regional Office in Cebu City.

Organized under DOST-7’s TECHGROW Project (Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship Collaboration and Harmonization of Growing Regional Opportunities on Wealth Creation), the workshop equips participating universities and colleges with the tools to formulate clear rules on IP ownership, protection, management, technology transfer, commercialization, researcher incentives, and revenue sharing.

Subject matter experts from the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) were tapped to guide the participants through the policy-drafting process. The resource speakers included Adrian H. Sablan, Chief of the IP Management and Technology Transfer Division and Engr. Aldrex L. Aviso, Intellectual Property Rights Specialist.

Throughout the three-day activity, sessions address critical topics such as the Philippines’ ranking in the Global Innovation Index, institutional IP ownership models, disclosure procedures, portfolio valuation, legal frameworks for revenue distribution, and the core responsibilities of an IP Management Office.

Participants are actively drafting and refining their respective institutional IP policies, receiving hands-on feedback and direct consultation from IPOPHL specialists to ensure their draft policies align with their institutional mandates, research domains, and organizational structures.

Nine academic institutions participating in the capacity-building program represent both state-run and private higher education centers across the region including the University of the Philippines Cebu, Cebu Technological University, Bohol Island State University, Mandaue City College, Cebu Institute of Technology–University, University of San Carlos, University of Cebu, Cebu Doctors’ University and University of San Jose–Recoletos.

By establishing robust IP policies and tech transfer protocols, DOST Central Visayas and its academic partners aim to protect local research outputs, guarantee fair incentives for academic researchers, and accelerate the commercialization of campus-developed technologies for regional economic growth. (Photos: DOST-7)