Advancing IP Education in Africa: Highlights from the WIPO-South Africa Summer School on Intellectual Property

The WIPO-South Africa Summer School on Intellectual Property (IP) has concluded another successful session. Hosted in partnership with South Africa’s Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DTI), the National Intellectual Property Management Office (NIPMO), and the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), the program ran from 26 November to 6 December 2024, at Mangosuthu University of Technology.

This initiative, supported by the FIT/Japan IP Global Fund, provided a comprehensive curriculum designed to deepen participants’ knowledge in essential areas of IP, such as patents, trade marks, copyright, traditional knowledge, and emerging topics like artificial intelligence and sustainability. The program combined lectures, discussions, and practical exercises to equip participants with the tools to foster innovation and drive economic development.

The 2024 session welcomed 109 participants, including nine sponsored by FIT/Japan IP Global, making this program accessible to professionals who might otherwise not have had the opportunity. These participants are now empowered to apply their newfound knowledge in their home countries, boosting local innovation, safeguarding intellectual property, and contributing to sustainable development.