seventh IP & Innovation Researchers of Asia (IPIRA) Conference
(April 4-6, 2025)
On 04-06 April 2025, the Faculty of Law had the pleasure to co-organize the Seven IP & Innovation Researchers of Asia (IPIRA) Conference, which took place at Waseda University, Faculty of Law in Tokyo, Japan. This year’s edition of the Conference welcomed over 300 scholars amongst speakers, chairs, and attendees from around the world (Asia-Pacific, North and South America, Europe, and Africa). The full program of the Conference is available here.
The Conference also featured four Keynotes. Mr Hasan Kleib, Deputy Director General of the Regional and National Development Sector of WIPO, highlighted the growing role of Asia as an innovation powerhouse and called on the academic community to consider how IP systems must evolve to address mounting global challenges, from digital disruptions to climate change and economic inequality. Mrs Johanna Hill, Deputy Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), emphasized the enduring connection between global trade and innovation, noting that well-designed, balanced IP frameworks are vital to enabling collaboration, attracting investment, and supporting inclusive growth. Their messages were complemented by insights from Mr Takuya Yasui, Deputy Director of the Japan Patent Office, and Mr Shuichiro Kitamura, President of the Japan Patent Attorneys Association, who offered regional and nuanced perspectives on IP policymaking.
The IPIRA Network is an initiative created to provide a forum for IP researchers to discuss their papers and works-in-progress with other academics, practitioners, and policy makers. The Seventh IPIRA Conference was organized in cooperation with Waseda University, Faculty of Law, with the support of the following academic institutions, organizers of the previous editions of the Conference: the Ahmad Ibrahim Kulliyyah of Laws, International Islamic University Malaysia; the Division of Business Law, Nanyang Business School, Nanyang Technological University; Foreign Trade University; the Faculty of Law, Universitas Indonesia; Texas A&M University School of Law; and the Faculty of Law, University of Geneva. The Conference was additionally supported by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the Japanese Patent Attorneys Association.
Our Faculty of Law was represented at IPIRA 2025 by Prof. Irene Calboli, Academic Fellow at the Faculty of Law (who is the initiator of the IPIRA Network and Conference) and Prof. Jacques de Werra. This Seventh IPIRA Conference was, like the previous edition, a remarkably successful event. The organizers very much look forward to the Eighth IPIRA Conference that will take place in 2026. Information about 2026 will be communicated in due time on this website.
