SA to host free intellectual property summer school

Source: Rabia Elif Aksoy – 123RF.com

The summer school, an initiative of the World Intellectual Property Organisation, will be hosted by the National Intellectual Property Management Office (NIPMO), together with the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition through the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC).

"IP rights enable innovators and IP creators to realise economic and other benefits from the commercialisation and use of their creativity," said Acting Head of NIPMO, Paballo Phiri.

NIPMO is a specialised unit of the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI).

The summer school is aimed at university students, young professionals with a business and law background, and government officials whose duties may require them to have an understanding of how the international IP system functions and its intersection with other policy areas such as health, climate change, and agriculture.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the summer school will be held online and fees have therefore been waived. The course will run from 23 November to 3 December 2021.

The programme includes lectures by experts and will expose participants to various aspects of IP, such as the international nature of IP protection and the interface between IP and other disciplines.

It takes a problem-oriented approach through lectures, simulation exercises, group discussions, panel discussions, and case studies.

Registration is open until 3 September and applicants should submit their CV, together with a letter of motivation setting out reasons for applying and what they hope to gain.

All interested applicants should submit their applications here.