IP attaché evaluation report
This report is an independent review of the IP attaché network, including recommendations from stakeholders for improved effectiveness.
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The intellectual property (IP) attachés provide a focal point in host countries for supporting UK businesses with IP related issues. They also promote UK government interests and work with local intellectual property right enforcement agencies. They help to build Intellectual Property Office (IPO) relations with the governments of host countries, and to understand and actively engage with IP policy makers. The IP attaché network is managed and funded by the IPO and supported in country by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and UK Trade and Investment.
In order to ensure that the attachés are operating at their fullest capacity, the IPO commissioned an external evaluation of the network. This evaluation focused on the ways in which attachés have worked for businesses and government including UK businesses operating overseas and domestic IP policy makers in the UK. This document is the result of that external evaluation.
The evaluation has been conducted independently of the IPO and the attaché network. The findings, views and recommendations within the evaluation report are that of the external evaluator. The report has drawn its conclusions from a wide range of sources including;
- existing IPO management information
- surveys undertaken by the evaluator
- 1-2-1 interviews with business
- officials who have had direct contact with the network
As a result of the evaluation, this report will help the IPO better understand how the attaché network is performing and identify areas for improvement.