UIT/FV hosts double ceremony

Minister receives invention prototypes

Dschang,UDs/SIC-27/04/18.The University Institute of Technology Fotso Victor hosted the double ceremony of the 18^th World Intellectual Property Day (WIPD) and the reception of invention prototypes produced by the University of Dschang under the facilitation of the GIE-UDs. The ceremony which was presided over by the Secretary of State to the Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological development, Mr Fuh Calistus Gentry had in attendance ministerial, regional and university dignitaries alongside students who celebrated innovation and creativity of the University under the theme: Powering Change: Women in Innovation and Creativity. During the ceremony, the 2^nd Assistant Mayor of Pété-Bandjoun Mrs Esther Fonkoua in her welcome address thanked MINMIDT for promoting innovation and appreciated the university dignitaries for realizing the dreams of Fotso Victor by making the institution a scientific reference in the country. The Vice Chancellor represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of training, Prof Mpoame Mbida in his speech reiterated that the MINMIDT had retained various prototypes at industrial level including an automatic incubator, portable electronic charger, biogas drier and production of biogas from biomass. He stated that innovation was at the center of economic development, competition and employment. Prof Mpoame highlighted that the creation of the support center for technology, innovation and incubation of the University of Dschang (CATI2-UDs) in 2017 produced the first 19 start-up projects and underscored the fact that to continue in the spirit of pro-activeness, certain challenges must be overcome such as; source alternative finance alongside state support to sustain the development of the University, ensure the valorization or exploitation of new and existence knowhow through the use of the GIE-UDs SA and CATI2-UDs, valorization of natural resources by the creation of incubator and start-up technologies and finally  ensure a regional partnership to facilitate access to resources in research and innovation such as the Center of Excellence for Green economy in  Central Africa. He concluded by emphasizing that the event was a clear platform to know the constraints and opportunities in valorizing research and innovation in Cameroon and the means to reinforce the capacity of youths particularly the female gender. The Secretary of State to the Ministry in his speech lauded the efforts of the creators and the support center as he encourage female students to continue in the spirit of innovation as the theme prescribed. The ceremony ended with the signing of the minutes of the invention prototypes ,an awareness workshop on the economic valorization of research, women and innovation and a practical session on experiences in the domain of innovation and intellectual property.