CGIAR regards the results of its research as international public goods, and is committed to their widespread dissemination and use, to achieve maximum impact to advantage the poor. Last week the CGIAR Principles on the Management of Intellectual Assets were approved and adopted, formalizing a set of principles to govern the use of Intellectual Assets. The result of a long period of drafting and negotiation – the Principles represent a significant milestone in the CGIAR reform process. The common position agreed by the Consortium, its Centers and the Fund Donors balances trust and Centers’ autonomy with accountability and transparency.
A clear framework was required to help knowledge travel freely and safely to its best application and to provide guidelines to Centers when building their partnerships to ensure that intellectual assets reach those who need them most. Adopting a common set of principles with regard to the production, acquisition, management and dissemination of assets, the Consortium demonstrates a healthy culture of transparency and consistency across its various research initiatives. Common IA principles make the Consortium both an attractive research partner and guards against the misappropriation of its intellectual assets by others.
The document was approved on an interim 2-year basis in order to create an evidence base and provide learning to facilitate a productive review process at the end of the interim period. Implementation Guidelines will be developed in the next few months by the Consortium and its Centers, led by the Consortium Legal Counsel.
For more details, including all background documents please visit the CGIAR Fund website.
Congratulations for the completion of the IA Principles, its been a long road but you have succeeded. Well done.