Summary : Conclusion: Publicly funded research institutions should build up their capacity to manage intellectual properties that they procure and those that they generate. Knowledge of IPRs will help developing country scientists determine if information about a particular technology is already part of the public domain and therefore freely available. Moreover, IPs generated by the public sector can be considered assets that can be exchanged for private sector-owned IPs or used a bargaining chips in technology transfer negotiations. Partnership between the private and public sectors in technology development through sharing of knowhow and IP can hasten technology transfer and acquisition on both sides.