Yesterday, Lord Triesman visited the Newport Office, stating after his visit:
"I found the Office to be well focused and professional in its work, staff are clearly highly motivated."The IPKat is very excited by Lord Triesman, as he is Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Intellectual Property and Quality (hurray – a minister for intellectual property!). However, the description of his brief in the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills’ 4 July press release makes him sound rather less IP-focused:
*The Student Loans Company (and Customer First programme)
*The student loan debt sale
*Endowments and voluntary giving for higher education
*Quality assurance of Higher Education
*UK Intellectual Property Office
*Students as ‘customers’
*Scenario building across DIUS
*Departmental efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability
However, all this pales into insignificance in comparison with some other important guests is South Wales. The IPKat is thrilled to learn that the UKIPO has put up bat boxes. Although the UKIPO webpage alleges that this is to benefit a rare local species, the IPKat suspects that this is a cunning move to decrease turnover times for applications by employing a colony of winged, nocturnal examiners.