Participants at the fourth Bayer-Tongji Intellectual Property Forum include (No. 6-9 from left): Zhang Qin, executive secretary of the China Association for Science and Technology, Michael Koenig, president of Bayer Group in Greater China, Wu Jiang, vice president of Tongji University, and Lothar Steiling, chief patent counsel of Bayer AG and president of the German Association of Intellectual Property Experts.

With the aim of increasing awareness of intellectual property rights, the fourth Bayer-Tongji Intellectual Property Forum was held in Shanghai on December 11, attracting over 100 participants, including officials, leading Chinese and foreign intellectual property experts, judges and academic delegates.

The forum focused on two major themes in the intellectual property field - cooperation between industries, universities and research institutions, and trademark practices and strategic trends.

In addition, the forum also discussed the advantages and existing problems in the current cooperation arrangements between industries and universities.

The fourth Bayer-Tongji IP Forum was held soon after the third amendment of China's patent law, which took effect on October 1.

Michael Koenig, president of the Bayer Greater China Group, said: "We organized an active discussion among experts, one which will help build a well-balanced intellectual property rights system in China, in line with the social demand for innovation and welfare."