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Commerce and Industry
State Key Laboratories (PSKLs). To help them strengthen their research capability, the ITF will provide up to $10 million to each Hong Kong PSKL during the period 2011-12 to 2015-16.
The HKSAR and Guangdong governments jointly run a Guangdong-Hong Kong Technology Co-operation Funding Scheme (TCFS) to encourage collaboration between their universities, research institutions and technology enterprises. Since its inception in 2004, the TCFS has supported 44 joint projects costing over $250 million. The Guangdong/Hong Kong Expert Group on Co-operation in Innovation and Technology agreed in August 2012 to implement the 2012 Guangdong/Hong Kong Technology Co-operation Funding Scheme and further enhance science and technology collaboration between Hong Kong and Guangdong under the 'Framework Agreement on Hong Kong/Guangdong Co-operation.
Publicity and Promotional Events
The Innovation and Technology Commission's annual InnoTech Month features a wide range of activities to foster a stronger innovation and technology culture in Hong Kong. Activities included a roadshow, exhibitions, seminars, workshops, a carnival and conferences. The commission also collaborated with non-profit-making organisations and government departments in organising science competitions to strengthen students' interest in innovation and technology. The Innovation and Technology Scholarship Award Scheme provides recognition to outstanding science undergraduates in local universities and encourages them to pursue innovation and technology as a career.
Protection of Intellectual Property Rights
Hong Kong maintains a robust regime for protecting intellectual property rights. With its comprehensive legislation, convenient registration systems, rigorous enforcement and creative public education programmes, Hong Kong has gained a reputation for effective protection of intellectual property.
Registration
The Intellectual Property Department is committed to providing high-quality and responsive registration services to the public. The department provides various electronic services to enable efficient and cost-effective registration and management of trade marks, patents and registered designs. The registers of trade marks, patents and designs are maintained in electronic format, allowing searches of relevant data in Chinese or English through the internet, at any time, free of charge (http://ipsearch.ipd.gov.hk). The electronic filing system also provides a secure and user-friendly environment for intellectual property owners or agents to file their applications at any time (https://iponline.ipd.gov.hk).
By using the department's interactive services, owners of intellectual property rights or their agents can make changes directly to certain particulars of their registrations and applications recorded in the registers. These changes are updated instantly in the various registry records. The electronic services, particularly electronic filing, have been well received. In 2012, over 50 per cent of trade marks, patents and designs applications respectively were filed electronically.
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