IPICA, Empowering knowledge transfer in the Caribbean through effective IPR & KT regimes, will reinforce innovation systems in the Caribbean by empowering the generation, application and transfer of scientific knowledge for enhanced energy access and efficiency. Different innovation system stakeholders - higher education institutions (HEIs), national intellectual property offices, ministries and international organisations, researchers, enterprises, as well as students – will be trained to modernise national and institutional intellectual property and knowledge transfer policies and strategies. This will create practical support to facilitate knowledge transfer and to promote innovation culture in Caribbean societies.
 
IPICA is co-financed by the European Commission through the ACP ST programme, and will run for 3 years.
 
Specific objectives:
 

• To strengthen STI policy frameworks for enhanced use of scientific knowledge to solve societal challenges, through modernisation of national & institutional intellectual property & knowledge transfer policies in 4 CA countries by PM36 & promoting region-wide impact.

• To build knowledge transfer capacities and encourage cooperation culture among the innovation system stakeholders, through promoting support services and good practice projects for enhanced energy access and efficiency throughout the CA region.

 
Outcomes & Outputs:
The IPICA project was designed in close collaboration with the relevant stakeholders. To address the STI modernisation needs of the Caribbean region, the project will deliver the following results:

• National and regional STI regimes evaluated for their adequacy to promote knowledge transfer (KT) and value creation from IPR.
• Online repository of relevant documentation and training materials.
• Analytical reports published: ‘IPR as a tool for knowledge transfer & value creation: a comparative study of Caribbean policy frameworks’; ‘IPR & KT management practices in Caribbean higher education & research organisations’.
• Policy recommendations to improve three national IP regimes and STI institutional KT policies presented to decision makers.
• Enhanced capacities across the innovation system stakeholders - policy makers, researchers and research managers, students, entrepreneurs - to manage, evaluate, transfer and exploit STI results for knowledge-based development.