MEDIA STATEMENT
Submitted by: Bheki Hlophe, Media Relations & Publications Officer
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mangosuthu University of Technology hosts the 17th WIPO South Africa Summer School on Intellectual Property and Transfer of Technology
Durban, South Africa, 23 November 2025,
Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) is proud to announce that it is hosting the 17th World Intellectual Property Organization South Africa (WIPO-SA) Summer School on Intellectual Property and Transfer of Technology. This year’s Summer School is being held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Umhlanga, Durban, from 24 November to 5 November 2025, marking a significant milestone for the University as it continues to strengthen its position as a hub for innovation, applied research, and technology commercialisation. The event will bring together emerging innovators, researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders from across the globe. Partnering with MUT are:
- The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
- Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI)
- National Intellectual Property Management Office (NIPMO)
- Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) and,
- Japan Patent Office (JPO).
The 2025 programme provides a unique opportunity for participants to deepen their understanding of intellectual property (IP) systems, strategies, and their role in driving innovation, economic development and technology transfer. The Department of Science and Innovation, through the National Intellectual Property Management Office ((NIPMO), has partnered with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission ((CIPC) to co-implement the WIPO-SA Summer Schools in South Africa. WIPO is the United Nations agency that serves the world’s innovators and creators, ensuring that their ideas travel safely to the market and improve lives everywhere. Furthermore, WIPO stimulates innovation and drives economic development while safeguarding the public interest. As part of the responsibility to develop appropriately skilled individuals in IP and technology transfer (TT), NIPMO has established relationships with WIPO and the CIPC to co-implement a two-week capacity development programme, the WIPO-SA Summer School on IP and TT through the WIPO Academy, which was founded in 1998 in response to the demand for knowledge and skills in IP training, teaching and research. NIPMO, in fulfilling its role of fostering the development of skilled individuals in the field of IP and TT, has formed partnerships with WIPO and the CIPC. This partnership implements a two-week training programme called the WIPO South Africa Advanced Summer School on IP and TT, facilitated by the WIPO Academy. The WIPO Academy was established in 1998 to address the growing need for expertise in IP education, instruction, and research. Since the inception, 16 Summer Schools have been successfully hosted in collaboration with various tertiary institutions.
Professor Nokuthula Sibiya, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of MUT, emphasised the importance of IP literacy in shaping knowledge-based economies:
“Hosting the WIPO-SA Summer School reflects MUT’s commitment to supporting innovators and entrepreneurs, particularly young people and emerging researchers. As South Africa and the continent accelerate towards technology-driven growth, a firm understanding of the IP landscape is essential for protecting ideas, fostering collaboration, and ensuring the fair and ethical transfer of knowledge.”
The 2025 programme features expert facilitators from academia and industry. Participants will engage in intensive lectures, case studies, panel discussions, and practical sessions, covering a broad range of topics, including:
- Intellectual Property rights and their strategic value;
- Technology transfer frameworks and best practices;
- Patents, trademarks, copyrights, and designs;
- IP commercialisation and licensing;
- IP management in universities and research institutions; and
- The role of IP in entrepreneurship, innovation ecosystems and economic development.
By hosting this internationally recognised programme, MUT affirms its ongoing commitment to strengthening research capacity, promoting innovation, and supporting the advancement of emerging scientists and entrepreneurs in South Africa and beyond. The University is taking a bold step toward strengthening its innovation ecosystem, empowering its researchers, and positioning itself as a significant contributor to national and continental knowledge economies.
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Please cite Dr Mandla Hlongwane, Deputy Director: Technology Transfer and Innovation, Research directorate – 072 874 4220