Shura Council’s Knowledge Economy Study Team Discusses the Role of Intellectual Property in Supporting Innovation and Enhancing the Knowledge Economy

     The Study Team on the Status of the Knowledge Economy at the Shura Council held its fourth meeting this morning (Wednesday), hosting specialists from the National Intellectual Property Office affiliated with the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, as part of the team’s ongoing work related to studying the current state of the knowledge economy and strengthening its role in supporting sustainable development and national innovation in the Sultanate of Oman.
At the outset of the meeting, H.E. Dr. Abdulaziz Rashid Al Hashmi, Chairman of the Working Team, welcomed the specialists from the National Intellectual Property Office, commending the vital role played by the Office in protecting and safeguarding national innovation in its various forms and supporting the research and creativity ecosystem.
His Excellency stressed the importance of developing a stimulating legislative and regulatory environment that contributes to strengthening the knowledge economy and enhancing the competitiveness of the Sultanate of Oman in the fields of innovation and advanced technologies.
During the meeting, specialists from the National Intellectual Property Office delivered a visual presentation reviewing the strategic framework of the intellectual property system and its role in protecting intellectual and human creativity, including patents, trademarks, industrial designs, copyright, and geographical indications.
They affirmed that protecting innovations and transforming them into economic assets represents a key pillar in building a sustainable knowledge-based economy founded on competitiveness and creativity.
The presentation also addressed efforts aimed at developing an enabling intellectual property environment through updating legislation and digital systems, enhancing specialised training, and supporting innovators and entrepreneurs, in addition to reviewing the international agreements to which the Sultanate of Oman has acceded in this field, thereby strengthening the alignment of national legislation with modern international standards.
The presentation further highlighted the contribution of the intellectual property system to transforming research outputs into economic assets that can be invested in and marketed, while enhancing the ability of start-ups to protect their ideas and commercial identity.



It also addressed the role of intellectual property in attracting investments and increasing confidence in the innovation environment, thereby supporting national competitiveness and contributing to economic diversification.
Specialists additionally reviewed the key challenges related to the enforcement of intellectual property rights, particularly within the digital environment, mechanisms for addressing counterfeit products and electronic infringements, and the efforts undertaken in cooperation with judicial and regulatory authorities to strengthen protection and compliance.
Following the presentation, Their Excellencies the Members of the Team raised several inquiries and interventions related to knowledge-based innovation projects, mechanisms for their development, and ways to enhance the contribution of intellectual property to supporting the national economy.
Discussions focused on mechanisms for transforming scientific research outputs and national innovations into sustainable economic and investment projects, as well as the readiness of the legislative and regulatory environment to accommodate the rapid transformations associated with the digital economy and artificial intelligence.
Their Excellencies also discussed the challenges facing entrepreneurs and start-ups in registering and protecting intellectual property rights and ways to facilitate the related procedures, in addition to examining the importance of raising societal awareness of intellectual property culture and strengthening cooperation among academic and research institutions and the private sector in a manner that supports national innovation and enhances the competitiveness of Omani products and services in local and international markets.
During their interventions, Their Excellencies stressed the importance of strengthening institutional integration among entities concerned with innovation, scientific research, and the industrial sector in order to build an integrated national ecosystem that supports the knowledge economy and accelerates the transformation of innovative ideas and initiatives into value-added products and services.
They also emphasised the importance of developing specialised programmes to support Omani inventors and researchers and expanding the incentives and facilities provided to them, in addition to enhancing investment in modern technologies and knowledge-based industries, in line with Oman Vision 2040 objectives aimed at building a competitive economy based on innovation, diversification, and sustainability.
The National Intellectual Property Office is the entity responsible for supporting innovation and registering and protecting intellectual property rights in the Sultanate of Oman, including patents, trademarks, and literary and artistic works, in accordance with the laws and legislation regulating intellectual property rights in force in the Sultanate.


The meeting was chaired by H.E. Dr. Abdulaziz Rashid Al Hashmi, Chairman of the Study Team on the Status of the Knowledge Economy at the Shura Council, in the presence of Their Excellencies the Members of the Team.