Strengthening Intellectual Property Dialogue in Asia and Beyond: Highlights from the 8th IPIRA Conference in Singapore

On 29–30 January 2026, scholars, practitioners, and policymakers gathered in Singapore for the Eighth Intellectual Property and Innovation Researchers of Asia (IPIRA) Conference, hosted by the Singapore University of Social Sciences. Since its launch in 2019, the IPIRA Network has grown into a key international platform for works-in-progress research, fostering cross-jurisdictional dialogue, interdisciplinary engagement, and critical reflection on contemporary challenges in intellectual property (IP) and innovation law across Asia and beyond.

As a supporting institution of the IPIRA Conference, Nanyang Business School (NBS) was actively involved in the 2026 conference through faculty leadership, session chairing, research presentations, and engagement at the plenary level. This participation reflects NBS’s continued commitment to contributing to regional and global conversations on intellectual property, innovation, and sustainability.

A key contribution from NBS came through A/P Anil Samtani, Associate Dean (Social Impact) at NTU’s Honours College and a faculty member in the Division of Business Law at Nanyang Business School, who chaired a conference session on trademark protection from strategic and comparative perspectives. The session examined contemporary issues in trademark law across jurisdictions, including enforcement strategies, bad-faith registrations, and the evolving role of trademarks in different regulatory and market contexts. His role as session chair highlighted NBS’s engagement with core areas of intellectual property law and its intersection with business and social impact considerations.

NBS’s involvement was further strengthened by A/P Althaf Marsoof (Deputy Head, Division of Business Law, NBS), who contributed to the conference in multiple capacities. He served as a member of the IPIRA Network’s Executive Committee as well as the Conference Scientific Committee, contributing to the academic direction of the conference and to the scholarly review processes that underpin IPIRA’s emphasis on rigorous and forward-looking research.

In terms of research contribution, A/P Marsoof presented a paper in the conference session on geographical indications (GIs), focusing on the concept of genericide — a process by which a protected geographical name risks losing its distinctiveness and legal significance due to widespread generic use. Geographical indications are a form of intellectual property that protect product names linked to a specific place, as well as the qualities or reputation associated with that origin. Drawing on Ceylon Cinnamon and Manuka Honey as comparative case studies, the paper examined how even well-known and commercially valuable GIs can face erosion if regulatory design, enforcement strategies, and branding practices are not carefully aligned. The presentation contributed to broader discussions on the role of GIs in sustainability, rural development, and international trade.

Beyond presenting research, A/P Marsoof also played an active role in facilitating scholarly exchange at the conference. He chaired a session on exhaustion, the right to repair, and the circular economy, which explored how IP doctrines interact with sustainability objectives and circular production models, and co-chaired a session on copyright, authorship, and synthetic media, addressing emerging legal challenges arising from generative AI and synthetic content.

He also participated in the final plenary session, where he shared insights from an empirical research study conducted jointly with Professor Irene Calboli. The study analysed trends and patterns in IP research in Asia using data drawn from past IPIRA conferences. By using IPIRA itself as a data source, the research offered reflections on shifts in subject matter, methodology, and scholarly focus over time, highlighting the growing prominence of governance-oriented and law-in-action research within Asian IP scholarship.

The active participation of NBS faculty at the eighth edition of the IPIRA Conference underscores the School’s continued engagement with the IPIRA Network and its commitment to advancing intellectually rigorous, empirically informed, and policy-relevant research in intellectual property law. With the next IPIRA Conference scheduled to be hosted in Cambodia, NBS looks forward to continuing its collaboration with the Network and contributing to the evolving landscape of IP scholarship in the region.