Written by: Dr. Edna Pasher and Adv. Rachel Pasher EIjkenaar
The Israel Smart City Institute (ISCI), together with the municipality of Givatayim in Israel, have
completed- in 2018-the mapping and the completion of a full report of the unique knowledge and
Intellectual Property (IP) within the Department of Education in Givatayim.
Actual IP assets in the form of content packages as copyright protected works, branded with the
municipal trademarks- are ready for use by the municipality - in sharing for pay or free with other municipalities in Israel.
The goal of this project was to locate these assets, record them and find ways to use them to their
full potential- in benefit of the city.
ISCIS’s vision is that every municipality- in all of its departments, will recognize
knowledge and IP- as valuable assets – and will treat them and use them to their full
potential for the municipality’s benefit.
As far as known to us, this is a unique and a first of its kind project. In addition to the benefits of
the knowledge and IP assets – such a project can be used as an innovation engine, encouraging
both municipal staff and residents(via digital platforms and others), to create more
knowledge and IP- that can benefit their municipality.
The project was approved and supervised by the Gvatayim's mayor then and now, Mr.Ran Kunik, the CEO Mr. Yoram Cohen(at the time),
, Adv. Daniela Gez the municipality’s, Adv. Ranit Bar-On and Adv. Sharona Levi of the muicipalities legal department, the municipalities VP of
Administration and Human Resources Mr. Asaf Edri, and Mr. Alex Rabin head of computers and internet. The education department’s staff, managed by Ms. Irit Aharonson: Yoni Rubinstein, Ricky Shuman and Tal Gazit together with Dr. Edna Pasher and Adv. Rachel Pasher Eijkenaar of ISCI- created an inventory
of all of the unique knowledge and IP in the department. ISCI created a detailed report , that
included a list of knowledge assets- in each of the sub departments , such as: different
registration forms, instruction packets, yearly program plans for the after school activities, a
lecture series for parents, a data base with activities for youth groups , a unique design for
different rooms according to their designated activities, a unique carpool system and much
more.
All participants in the project were happy to realize the many assets created within their department- and realize the potential of mapping knowledge an IP assets in each of the municipality's department as well.
We found- with the staff- that not only that the assets are with financial potential when sold to other municipalities- globally- but that the process of mapping them and acknowledging them on a regular base- makes for more satisfied staff within the municipality- that can enjoy the credit for their work and innovative contribution. A satisfied and innovative staff- we found- would lead in general to a more innovative municipality- keeping up with ever changing challenges - from inside de the municipality, from the residents and their growing needs, from the municipalities' surrounding as - environmental ones, budget ones , political and more.
ISCI is looking forward to continue cooperation with Givatayim and happy to share its story with it here.
