Recently, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) released its 2018 data on PCT patent applications from countries and enterprises around the world. The number of PCT patent applications in the world reached 253,000 in 2018, representing a 3.9% increase compared with 2017.
In 2018, Shenzhen University filed a total of 228 PCT applications and published 201 applications, ranking third among educational institutions worldwide and the first among universities in China. In terms of the number of patent applications published in 2018 by educational institutions around the world, the University of California ranked first with 501 applications, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ranked second with 216 applications. Third is Shenzhen University (201 applications), South China University of Technology (170 applications), and Harvard University (169 applications). Of the top ten universities that made it to the list, five are from the United States, four from China, and one from South Korea. The number of PCT patent applications published in SZU has ranked first among universities in China for three consecutive years. In terms of PCT applications, the University has been among the top 20 educational institutions worldwide for three consecutive years and one of the top three educational institutions worldwide for the first time in 2018.
The rapid increase in the number of PCT patent applications in Shenzhen University has been driven by the following policies. First, the University has attached great importance to scientific research and innovation, promoted the transfer of intellectual property rights, and established a mechanism for the distribution of intellectual property rights. Second, the University has developed a system for intellectual property protection and strived to enhance teachers’ awareness of the importance of intellectual property protection. The “IP cloud platform” provided by the University has effectively facilitated the whole process of patent application, review, information inquiry, funding, and implementation. Third, the University has further standardized science and technology management. A variety of services are provided for students and teachers at SZU, including public lectures on intellectual property, lectures targeting key departments and key project teams, and “menu-style” patent agency services for patent applicants.
