URSB expands intellectual property program to Arua

ARUA, Uganda — The Uganda Registration Services Bureau launched its 39th Technology and Innovation Support Centre at St. Joseph’s College Ombaci on Saturday to promote intellectual property awareness among students.

The center is the third of its kind established in a Ugandan secondary school, following similar initiatives at Comboni College Lira and Dr. Obote College Boroboro. The expansion is part of a national effort to protect and commercialize innovations developed by young learners.

Betty Otekat Akello, the resident city commissioner of Arua, officially opened the center. She said the initiative is a timely step in preparing a generation of students to create solutions and protect their ideas.

St. Joseph’s College Ombaci has a history of technical education dating back to the 1940s. The school has gained recognition for developing renewable energy innovations and an automatic fire detector.

James Tonny Lubwama, the assistant commissioner for patents and industrial designs at URSB, said the center will provide students with the tools and information needed to transform ideas into viable innovations.

The school’s headmaster, Charles Ondoga, said the facility will enhance the ability of students to research and protect their creative work.

The centers provide access to technical information and intellectual property resources, helping researchers and innovators across the country contribute to a knowledge-based economy.