【Volume 39】

As a hub of technological innovation in eastern Asia, Taiwan has seen a surge of talents flowing into the field of Intellectual Property (IP). Among them are an increasingly high percentage of women who play pivotal roles and make great contributions to IP in Taiwan.

Female experts in the legal field are never scarce. Current President Tsai Ing-wen obtained a Ph.D. in law from the London School of Economics and Political Science before becoming one of the first female presidents in Asia¹. Women with IP background have also assumed crucial positions in the public sector. The Minister of Ministry of Economic Affairs, Mei-Hua Wang, had devoted herself to both patent and trademark related work for over two decades². The Director General of the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office, Shu-min Hong, has put great effort into facilitating international cooperation that benefits those who seek patent and trademark protection across countries³.

The number of women in the IP profession in Taiwan has also been on the rise. 26.55% of people that became qualified patent attorneys in 2020 were women, which is higher than the 20% in 2012⁴. The trend is even more significant in trademarks. In 2017, 68.75% of those who obtained the trademark professional certificate from the Taiwan IP Office were women, and the number leaped to a greater 80% in 2019 within just two years⁵.

All this shows that more and more women aspire to participate in the IP realm, and people like Wang and Hong serve as great examples. Taiwan is ready to welcome more female talents in IP, and their valued expertise, experience, and perspectives will be the driving force to push Taiwan even further onto the global stage of Intellectual Property.

[1] President & vice president. Office of the President, Taiwan (ROC). https://english.president.gov.tw/Page/40

[2] The Minister Mei-Hua Wang. Ministry of Economic Affairs.

https://www.moea.gov.tw/Mns/english/EconomicChief/EconomicChief.aspx?code=E&kind=01&work=Y&menu_id=32895

[3] Message from the Director General. Taiwan Intellectual Property Office.  https://www.tipo.gov.tw/en/cp-288-606845-73f17-2.html

[4] Analysis 3. Department of Statistics. https://www.moea.gov.tw/Mns/dos/content/ContentMenu.aspx?menu_id=6965

[5] Analysis 6. Department of Statistics. https://www.moea.gov.tw/Mns/dos/content/SubMenu.aspx?menu_id=30978