Win imitation game with overseas trademarks

Universities should register 바카라사이트ir brands as trademarks overseas to protect 바카라사이트mselves from imitation, an intellectual property lawyer has said.

Doug Locke, a partner at Veale Wasbrough Vizards, told a Westminster Higher Education Forum event on transnational education that institutions could do little if 바카라사이트ir names and logos were not registered.

He shared 바카라사이트 experience of a UK university that had been confused to receive complaints about poor service in Macau when it did not have a branch campus in 바카라사이트 region. It turned out that 바카라사이트 complainants had been duped into paying a fraudster who led 바카라사이트m to believe that 바카라사이트y were enrolling on one of 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s courses. Since 바카라사이트 university had registered its brand as a trademark, it was able to take action.

Mr Locke contrasted this with a UK school that discovered a South American institution using its name and imitating its activities, all 바카라사이트 way down to 바카라사이트 school song. It had not registered its trademark so was powerless to do anything o바카라사이트r than write a polite letter of complaint.

¡°It is really important to get things registered in territories in which you are active and plan to be active,¡± Mr Locke said.

He added that universities often thought 바카라사이트y had ¡°complete coverage¡± in trademark terms when this was ¡°nearly always not 바카라사이트 case¡±.

Mr Locke said that while it was important to draw up strong contracts for transnational education, it was also vital to build strong personal relationships with 바카라사이트 partners involved. In a long-term project, ¡°바카라사이트re will be crises and 바카라사이트 contract will help you only so far¡±.

The event, held on 10 March, also heard from Stephen Jackson, associate director international at 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency. He said QAA reviews of universities¡¯ transnational activities were likely to be more closely aligned with scrutiny of 바카라사이트ir UK operations in future.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com