National Library and Microsoft hold an intellectual property workshop for public universities

The workshop addressed several issues including software licensing, the advantages of using licensed computer software and the means to benefit from the incentives offered by computer software development companies.

"The workshop aims to educate public universities to play a leading role in encouraging and protecting local innovation through supporting local intellectual property laws and policies", said Mr. Mohammed Abbadi, The General Manager of the National Library.

Mr. Zeid Shubailat, Microsoft Jordan's Country Manager, who represented Microsoft at the workshop, highlighted the vital role that Microsoft plays in intellectual property protection and educating counterparts about the technology.

"Microsoft's anti-piracy mission is focused on helping to protect customers by making significant investments in customer education and engineering efforts to make the use of genuine software simple, easy and reliable", said Mr. Shubailat.

"Software piracy negatively impacts the economy and leads to lost wages, lost jobs, and unfair competition", he added.

The workshop stressed on the importance of enforcing intellectual property laws in protecting and creating a more trusted computing environment.

"We should create a strategic partnership between technology providers, like Microsoft, and intellectual property support pillars in the economy", said Nader Salamat from the Public Security Directorate.

Jordan signed several international anti-piracy treaties over the last ten years in an attempt to create a safe and legitimate environment that protects intellectual property. This caused a major decrease in software piracy, and consequently impacted the Jordanian economy positively.

The workshop presented papers on different aspects of software intellectual property, such as the illegal use of software, piracy and the use of unlicensed software. Major Nader Salamat, member of the Copyrights Protection Law Enforcement Committee, made a presentation about enforcing the role of the Intellectual Property Department at the Public Security Directorate. Another presentation by Mr. Haitham Madani, Principal Associate at Sanad Law Group, focused on the legal aspects of using unauthorized and unlicensed computer software.

Mr. Madani drew attention to the strengths of the Intellectual Property Laws in Jordan and emphasized their importance, also noting the obstacles they face in protecting inventors and companies.

This workshop is part of a series of events that support fruitful collaboration between intellectual property rights partners in Jordan.