Licensed Mark
Licensed journal brand
Academic Conference Brand Licensing
A lightweight partnership where the brand owner grants the organizer use of the conference name, trademarks, and academic support for a specific event, while the organizer runs the conference independently and assumes all profits and losses.
What is the most challenging aspect of preparing for an academic conference?
Venues can be booked, speakers invited, and programs arranged—but securing brand endorsement is the most challenging part.
Without academic brand endorsement, a conference has limited appeal: experts pay less attention, companies are less willing to invest, and peer recognition is lower. Securing naming rights from societies and associations often involves cumbersome processes and long lead times, while borrowing an international journal's name is difficult without a reliable licensing channel.
We therefore formally propose a proven collaboration model established in international academia for over 60 years: non-commercial academic conference brand licensing, known globally as Technical Co-Sponsorship.
Cooperation Model
A lightweight partnership where the brand owner grants the organizer use of the conference name, trademarks, and academic support for a specific event, while the organizer runs the conference independently and assumes all profits and losses.
Licensor (us)
- Review the academic direction, standardize brand usage guidelines, and issue authorization.
- Provide international academic support
- Do not participate in on-site delivery; operations, financial, and safety responsibilities lie with the organizer.
Organizer (you)
- Take full responsibility for delivery, recruitment, financial management, compliance filing, and safety oversight.
- Assume full operational responsibility independently
- Pay the brand licensing service fee as agreed
About Us: UK Journal and Domestic Service Entity
This journal is published and operated by a UK entity, with an authorized settlement agent in China. All cooperation is conducted online.
Journal
Belt and Road Medical (BRM), bearing the international standard serial number ISSN XXXX-XXXX, is published and operated by UK publisher BELT AND ROAD LTD.
Positioning
A comprehensive international medical journal rooted in the Belt and Road Initiative and open to the world. It covers basic medicine, clinical medicine, preventive medicine, public health, pharmacy, nursing, traditional Chinese and ethnic medicine, medical-engineering integration, hospital management, and health policy—with a focus on global health and primary care.
Domestic contact
Beijing Guoren Kechuang Technology Co., Ltd. serves as the authorized settlement agent in China for the brand owner, handling domestic academic conference licensing inquiries, contract execution, payment processing, and VAT invoice issuance.
Digital operations
Embracing digital transformation, our entire collaboration process is conducted online—from application and qualification review to electronic signing and same-day delivery of materials. We fully support virtual conferences and hybrid online-offline events, delivering efficiency, flexibility, and compliance.
International Practices and Domestic Adoption
The model is internationally recognized as Technical Co-Sponsorship and is widely adopted by leading academic institutions such as IEEE: the brand owner provides academic support, brand affiliation, and quality control, without participating in conference operations or assuming financial risks.
Why It's Common Globally but Rare in China
The model emerged from the mid-20th century global expansion of European and American academic systems and has operated for over 60 years. Since international academic institutions could not establish teams in every country, they gradually adopted a brand licensing system: headquarters sets unified academic standards and brand guidelines, while local organizations in each country are licensed to host regional conferences. These institutions hold numerous academic conferences worldwide each year.
- 01
Formal domestic journals are subject to the Provisions on the Administration of Periodical Publication and other regulations. They may not transfer publishing rights or commercially license their journal brand names without authorization, which has long left the market without public licensing channels.
- 02
Domestic academic conferences are primarily organized by societies and universities; market-driven brand collaborations began relatively late, and demand for brand licensing has not yet reached scale.
- 03
Overseas brand partnerships have historically focused on top-tier journals and major conferences, with limited uptake at the small-to-medium scale.
The model is already well-established. However, few public channels in China offer such cooperation. We introduce this international practice in a transparent, contractual, and standardized manner.
Legal Basis
This cooperation is a commercial licensing of intangible assets, including brand rights. The primary legal basis is outlined below.
1. Basis of rights
Under Articles 123 and 993 of the Civil Code of the People's Republic of China, as well as the Trademark Law and Anti-Unfair Competition Law, civil entities may license their trademarks, distinctive commercial signs, and business names. This cooperation grants a license to use journal brand marks. The authorization agreement and its annexes serve as the governing documentation of rights.
2. Contract validity
Under Article 502 of the same law, a contract becomes effective upon formation and is legally protected. The rights and obligations of both parties are governed by the formally signed authorization agreement.
3. Taxes and billing
The brand licensing service fee is classified under the VAT category of sale of intangible assets — other equity-based intangible assets (naming rights and name rights), in accordance with Annex 1 of Caishui [2016] No. 36 issued by the Ministry of Finance and the State Taxation Administration. We issue VAT invoices and process B2B settlements.
4. Advertising compliance
Under Article 4 of the Advertising Law of the People's Republic of China, advertisements must not contain false or misleading content. Article 28 prohibits false advertising. We guarantee that all promotional content is truthful, accurate, and free from exaggeration or deception.
5. No domestic publishing operations
The Regulations on the Administration of Publishing and related rules govern the publishing, printing, import, and distribution of domestic publications. This cooperation is limited to brand usage and academic support for conferences and does not involve journal publishing, manuscript solicitation, or distribution in China.
6. Non-commercial focus
Cooperation is limited to non-commercial academic conferences and does not charge attendees. The license fee is for brand usage, not a donation.
Technical Co-Sponsorship Documents
Two reference documents for PCO organizations: one explains the model, boundaries, and industry practices of technical co-sponsorship; the other outlines admission criteria, processes, settlement terms, and compliance requirements for domestic implementation.
Academic and Technical Co-Sponsorship: A Beginner's Guide
— For Domestic Academic Conference PCO Agencies
Guidelines for Domestic Compliance and Practical Implementation of Academic-Technical Collaboration Partnerships
—— PCO Institution General Version
Your Challenges
Brand
Without academic brand endorsement, the conference attracts fewer experts, enterprises, and attendees, and its outcomes are difficult to turn into sustainable brand assets.
Process
Obtaining naming rights from societies and associations typically involves submitting multiple documents, navigating several approval rounds, and enduring a complex, lengthy process.
Compliance
Medical conference regulation is becoming increasingly standardized, requiring organizers to simultaneously manage academic, financial, and promotional compliance—creating significant pressure.
If you're facing these challenges, the cooperation model described here may offer a solution.
Formats, Fees, and Optional Services
Single sessions are fixed-price and non-negotiable. Multi-session or annual engagements may qualify for tiered discounts.
| Format | Scale | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Online academic conference | One session, unlimited attendees | CNY 2,800 |
| Small in-person academic conference | Fewer than 100 attendees per session | CNY 6,800 |
| Mid-sized in-person academic conference | 100–300 attendees per session | CNY 12,800 |
| Large in-person academic conference | More than 300 attendees per session | CNY 21,800 |
| Series or annual partnership | Multiple sessions per year | Negotiated pricing with tiered discounts |
Swipe horizontally to see the full table
Overseas Licensed Expert Lecture Video
Matches the conference discipline: one pre-recorded lecture by an overseas medical expert in that field (provided with the expert's authorization and limited to on-site playback). This serves as a backup when an expert cannot attend, enriches content, and enhances the conference's professional standing.
+CNY 2,000 per expert
- Single sessions have fixed, non-negotiable pricing. Multi-session or annual engagements are available with tiered discounts upon discussion.
- The license fee is paid in a single transaction upon signing and payment of the agreement; materials are delivered on the payment date.
- Licensing follows a "sign first, pay first, deliver later" principle: authorization documents are issued upon receipt of payment. No payment means no authorization is delivered and no conference is held in advance.
Contracting and Settlement
We work exclusively with professional conference organizers (PCOs). The partner pays the brand licensing service fee.
Medical event companies, consulting firms, service providers, media organizations, and other PCOs are welcome to partner with us directly.
Pharmaceutical companies, societies, associations, foundations, hospitals, and universities: To collaborate, please recommend a trusted event partner to sign the agreement with us.
Electronic agreements (recommended) or paper agreements are accepted. The contract is executed first, followed by corporate-to-corporate payment, issuance of a VAT invoice, and no cross-border payment is required.
Licensing scope: No geographic restrictions (except sanctioned regions); venue must comply with local laws and regulations. Single-session, series, and annual collaborations are all open to discussion.
Settlement
- Contracts with PCOs only
- Corporate payment
- VAT invoice issued
- No cross-border payment
Licensing Process (Online, Typically One Business Day)
Licensing follows a "sign first, pay first, deliver later" principle: authorization documents are issued upon receipt of payment. No payment means no authorization is delivered and no conference is held in advance.
Submit application
The organizer submits a business license or equivalent proof of entity status, along with a preliminary conference plan outlining the time, venue, scale, and agenda.
Qualification review
Compliance verification is completed within one business day to confirm the conference meets non-commercial academic requirements.
Sign and pay
Sign the electronic licensing agreement (or request a couriered hard copy) and pay the full license fee.
Material delivery and completion
All licensed materials are delivered on the payment date.
Non-commercial Academic Conference Red Lines
Cooperation is limited to non-commercial academic conferences. The following are mandatory requirements and boundaries:
- 01
Only non-commercial academic conferences focused on academic exchange and medical professional content are eligible for licensing.
- 02
No registration, attendance, training, or similar fees may be charged to participants or audiences in any form.
- 03
No medicines or goods may be sold at the conference.
- 04
This journal is not affiliated with or subordinate to the Chinese government or its departments. It operates as an independent international academic publisher with no ties to the Chinese government or its agencies.
- 05
Without the brand owner's written consent, the license may not be sub-licensed or transferred to any third party. Additionally, the journal name, brand marks, and academic support may not be used beyond the scope of this license.
- 06
The journal's name must not be used to solicit or commission manuscripts, promise publication, or collect any publication-related fees.
- 07
Conference content and promotional materials must be accurate, lawful, and free from false, exaggerated, or misleading claims. They must not infringe on intellectual property or personal information rights, and must not involve any illegal or non-compliant activities.
- 08
Changes to key details such as the conference name, time, or venue (including postponements or cancellations) must be reported to the editorial office by email promptly.
- 09
Conference funding must be legitimate, and licensing cannot be tied to the procurement, prescription, or recommendation of medicines or consumables.
Deliverables
Official Authorization
Officially sealed Conference Brand Authorization Letter from the brand owner, suitable for sponsorship and promotional support.
Brand asset pack
Official journal logo files, brand introduction copy, and expert invitation letter templates ready for conference posters, backdrops, and other materials.
Once authorized, the organizer assumes full responsibility for conference execution—including venue setup, speaker invitations, program delivery, material production, sponsorship promotion, on-site services, and more—and must secure public liability insurance for the event.
Cooperation is limited to non-commercial academic conferences with no attendee fees. The license fee covers brand usage rights, not a donation. This document outlines the full cooperation model, pricing, process, and deliverables.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
15 key questions on event delivery, contracting and payment, non-commercial requirements, agreement formats and licensing boundaries—all answered directly.
Results 15 / 15
Does the license cover conference presentations?
Are there geographic restrictions on licensing?
Who signs the agreement and who receives payment?
Is the single conference fee negotiable?
Can we meet in person to discuss?
How are paper agreements processed?
Is this cooperation model legal?
Is payment required in advance?
What are the conference requirements?
Our internal process requires a tender or three-party price comparison. Are you able to participate?
Can we meet in person to discuss other cooperation opportunities?
Can you provide experts to speak, or help us invite them?
Can the conference include additional hosts, co-organizers, organizers, or advisors?
What happens if the scheduled conference is cancelled or postponed after signing and payment? Is there a fee to reschedule?
Can the license be transferred to another company?
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Cooperation Notes and Contact
If you are a professional conference organizer (PCO)—such as a medical events firm, consulting or service company, media outlet, or an event agency recommended by a pharmaceutical company, society, association, foundation, hospital, or university—and have confirmed your interest, please contact us via the channels below:
- 01This document outlines our cooperation model, pricing, process, and deliverables. After reviewing it and confirming your interest, please contact us to move forward efficiently and avoid unnecessary back-and-forth. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
- 02The entire collaboration is conducted online (via WeChat, email, and electronic agreements), with no in-person meeting required. If the model or pricing doesn't meet your needs after review, you can choose not to contact us—saving time for both parties.