Near East University held an “Intellectual Property Awareness Meeting” to raise awareness of intellectual property in the process of transforming ideas into social and economic value, informing academics and entrepreneurs.
Universities have moved beyond being mere knowledge-producing institutions to become leading actors in economic and social transformation through research, project development, patent generation, and innovative product design. Near East University, thanks to its research-based ecosystem, including research centers, a robust laboratory infrastructure, a Technology Transfer Office, and international collaborations, has a structure that transforms ideas into projects, and projects into tangible products that contribute to society. One of the most crucial requirements of this ecosystem is the effective protection of intellectual property rights. In this context, the Near East University Experimental Health Sciences Research Institute and Technology Transfer Office organized an “Intellectual Property Awareness Meeting” to raise awareness among idea creators and entrepreneurs.
The event, which featured speakers Prof. Dr. Murat Özgören, President of NERITA, and Şefik Emre Coşkun, Coordinator of the Near East University Technology Transfer Office, emphasized the critical role played by intellectual property in business and academia.
Prof. Dr. Murat Özgören, the first speaker at the meeting, addressed the process from the birth of an idea to its transformation into a product, emphasizing the importance of recording ideas, systematic scientific research, and intellectual property management in transforming innovations into economic and social value. Another speaker, TTO Coordinator Şefik Emre Coşkun, explained the process by which an idea becomes an “invention,” providing examples of the key criteria for patentability, such as novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability. Both presentations emphasized the importance of this process for entrepreneurs and academics.
Prof. Dr. Murat Özgören: “Good observation is the key to the creative process.”
The meeting, which attracted considerable interest from academics, was first presented by NERİTA President Prof. Dr. Murat Özgören. Before beginning his presentation, Murat Özgören stated that various aspects of “intellectual property” will be addressed in future meetings, as they relate to the transformation of ideas into added value. In his presentation titled “From Ideas to Assets: Processes and Concepts,” Prof. Dr. Özgören emphasized that an idea arises from impulse or need, and that good observation is key to the creative process. Emphasizing the importance of recording ideas in a scientific and legal manner, Prof. Dr. Özgören stated that research notebooks are the foundation of science. Prof. Dr. Özgören also emphasized that technology transfer offices are the cornerstone of the journey from idea to product, and that a systematic approach is necessary for innovations to transform into tangible outputs that will benefit society.
Şefik Emre Coşkun: “Protecting the labor behind every idea strengthens academic success, as well as economic and social value.”
In the second part of the event, Şefik Emre Coşkun, Coordinator of the Technology Transfer Office at Near East University, addressed the topic “Types of Intellectual Property and TTO Support.” Coşkun emphasized the importance of securing ideas through legal protection mechanisms such as patents, trademarks, designs, and copyrights. He also provided examples of the patentability criteria of “novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability” in Industrial Property Law No. 6769, and explained how ideas gain value on their journey to commercialization. Coşkun stated, “Protecting the labor behind every idea strengthens not only academic success but also economic and social value.” He added that the Near East University Technology Transfer Office provides consulting, training, and licensing support throughout this process.
