The Technology Transfer Office (TTO) hosted an IP Awareness Workshop on 14 October 2025, empowering staff, researchers, and students to identify, protect, and manage Intellectual Property to foster innovation and commercialisation.
21 October 2025 | Story By: Manani Hlogwane | Picture: Supplied.
2 minutes read time.
As part of its ongoing mission to foster innovation and promote the commercialisation of research outputs, the Technology Transfer Office (TTO) at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) hosted an engaging Intellectual Property (IP) Awareness Workshop on 14 October 2025 at the Science Park Auditorium.
The workshop aimed to build capacity among staff, researchers, and students in identifying, protecting, and managing intellectual property within their academic and research activities.
The session featured thought-provoking presentations by Mr Thabo Kgole, IP Manager, and Mrs Martha Ikome, IP Advisor, who unpacked the critical role of intellectual property in transforming research outputs into impactful innovations. Drawing on real-life examples, they guided participants through the processes of safeguarding creative and scientific work, ensuring that innovations developed at the University are adequately protected and can benefit both the creators and the institution.
“Protecting intellectual property is not only about ownership,” explained Mr Kgole. “It’s about valuing innovation and creating pathways for our researchers to see their ideas make a difference beyond the lab or classroom.”
Participants responded enthusiastically, engaging in discussions and raising insightful questions that reflected a growing awareness of IP’s significance in the academic and entrepreneurial landscape.
“I’ve always viewed research as purely academic,” shared one participant from the Faculty of Applied and Computer Sciences. “Now I understand how it can also drive social and economic change if protected and commercialised correctly.”
The workshop concluded with a renewed sense of purpose, reinforcing TTO’s commitment to cultivating a culture of innovation and IP consciousness within the University community. As a follow-up, the TTO announced plans to host faculty-specific training sessions in early 2026, focusing on patent filing, licensing, and technology commercialisation.
This initiative forms part of VUT’s broader drive under Strategy 2033+ to strengthen research innovation and industry collaboration, building a future where intellectual property is recognised as both an academic asset and an engine for development.