International patent filing maintained a steady pace in 2023 compared to previous years, with higher education playing a role in driving innovation and expanding international practices regarding intellectual property (IP). The UN World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Statistics Database reported in its March 2024 Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) review that in 2023, 272,600 international patents were filed globally under the PCT – a 1.8% decrease from 2022, ending an upwards trend since 2010. The largest share of patents was filed in the field of electrical engineering (39.6%), followed by chemistry (21.8%), instruments (16.3%) and mechanical engineering (%16.3). Notably, electrical engineering patents have tripled in size since 2003, driven by remarkable growth in computer technology, digital communication and electrical machinery.
According to the WIPO statistics for 2023, China once again topped the list of the world’s most prolific filers of international patents, registering 69,610 applications for the year. GCC countries filed 556 applications, down from 631 the previous year, while Bahrain filed nine, up from seven in 2022.
Higher Education & Patents
One measure of how higher education institutions contribute to a country’s research and innovation efforts is the number of patents they file. Universities in emerging economies have traditionally generated fewer patents than those in more mature economies, due to factors ranging from lower levels of public funding, to limited collaboration between industry and academia. However, some markets that scored highly in the WIPO rankings have taken steps to develop dynamic and innovative higher education ecosystems. Universities have an important role to play in the creation of a culture in which IP is both developed and protected, contributing to broader national goals of facilitating economic growth and establishing high-value industries.
For example, Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University IP Institute – founded in 1996 – is responsible for protecting the IP of researchers at the university, as well as national and international patent and copyright registration. The institute also supports the application of research in industrial and social contexts, serving as an interface between academia and society as a whole. Thailand ranked 43rd in WIPO’s Global Innovation Index (GII) 2023, with the report noting that its performance was above expectations considering its level of development and income group. Bahrain ranked 67th out of the 132 countries evaluated in the 2023 edition of the GII, ranking highest in the categories of institutions (28th) and infrastructure (37th). The country’s main innovation strengths are electricity output, measured in GWh per minute (1st), ICT access (3rd) and policies for doing business (10th).
Private Sector Collaboration
As part of Bahrain’s goal to create a knowledge-based economy, the Higher Education Council’s (HEC’s) National Research Strategy 2014-24 intends to increase the number of patents and industrial designs filed both domestically and globally. It also seeks to attract research and development funds for academia and the private sector. Further, the HEC requires higher education institutions to allocate at least three percent of their gross annual revenue to scientific research.
In cooperation with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, and the US Department of Commerce, the University of Bahrain announced the launch of a technology transfer project in November 2021. The initiative aims to increase patent rates in the kingdom, incubate inventions and transform them into projects that contribute to creating jobs for citizens.
In April 2024 Bahrain held its second global higher education exhibition, GHEDEX, which brings together policymakers, and leaders from education and industry. The annual expo has the potential to increase collaboration between higher education institutions and the private sector to support and protect IP and transform it into marketable products and services.
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