On October 21, 2022, in the Conference Hall of the Institute of Intellectual Property and Technological Transfer of UNWE, a meeting was held to establish the "Creative Industries" Network, organized by the IIPTT.

  

Photograph: A. M. Markova

 

The initiative aims to create an environment for discussions and exchange of opinions on various issues from the current agenda of the creative industries in the Republic of Bulgaria, provoked by the legal and business environment, by the need for a unified approach in solving problems, including and related to the implementation of European legislation; presentation of reasoned consolidated opinions and proposals to the legislative and law enforcement bodies and institutions in the country on current issues of the creative industries; as well as strengthening the connection "Academy - Business".

The choice of the University of National and World Economy as a place for the meeting takes into account the historically traditional role of the higher education institution as an autonomous institution, a temple of knowledge and free dialogue, a platform for generating and sharing new ideas and alternative models for the development of our society.

The network is open and the list of founders does not limit the joining of other interested persons and organizations.

The meeting was attended by 21 people, representatives of organizations for collective management of rights, associations and unions of representatives of the creative industries, lawyers, representatives of the academic community.

The meeting was opened by the vice-rector for scientific research work and international cooperation of UNWE Assoc. Dr. Mihail Musov. He expressed support from the university management for the initiative and wished the network success.

 

Assoc. prof. dr. Mihail Musov, vice-rector for Research and International Affairs of UNWE  

Photograph: Teodora Piskova

 

Prof. Dr. Maria Markova, Deputy Director of Research and Development of IIPTT and head of the "Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer" department, noted the presence of a number of problems in the field of creative industries, which their representatives identify, but the pursuit of their solution is being carried out not as a collective. The network will be an opportunity to identify and find solutions to problems with the participation of a larger circle of representatives of industries and academia. IIPTT at UNWE and the "Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer" Department of UNWE, as units with more than 30 years of history, over 2000 graduates and over 60 scientific forums at the international and national level, have as one of their goals the dissemination of knowledge about intellectual property, the formation of a competitive economy and the development of the creative industries in Bulgaria. The IPTT Department is the only educational unit accredited by the Ministry of Education and Science that provides training in intellectual property management.

Prof. Markova noted to the audience that intellectual property-based industries provide nearly 63 million direct jobs and another nearly 21 million indirect jobs, which equates to 38.89% of jobs across the EU. Copyright and related rights intensive industries provide nearly 12 million direct jobs and over 3.5 million indirect jobs, totaling 7.1% of the total number of direct and indirect jobs provided of intellectual property intensive industries for the last 5 years in the EU. In Bulgaria, more than 80,000 artists are engaged in the creative industries - music, film, publishing, software and others, and these industries provide about 4% of the country's GDP.

 

Prof. dr. Maria Markova, head of IPTT Department

Photograph: Teodora Piskova

 

During the event, numerous memorandums of cooperation were signed with associations of the creative industries, which provide an opportunity to implement internship programs for students of the department, as well as the implementation of joint projects and events in the field of intellectual property.

 

Dr. Ivan Nachev, Director of IIPTT, Mrs. Liliya Yotova, chairman of the Association of Professional Photographers, dr. Maria Markova, Head of IPTT Department, architect Marin Bakalov, Chairman of SAPZAPA 

Photograph: Petar Stanev