MUT, in partnership with the National Intellectual Property Office (NIPMO) and the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), will be hosting the 16th and 17th World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) South Africa Advanced Summer School on Intellectual Property (IP) and Technology Transfer (TT) in 2024 and 2025 respectively. The implementation partners – MUT, NIPMO and CIPC, have arranged a meeting for 31 January 2024, to determine the actual dates for the summer school. Mandla Hlongwane, Deputy Director: Intellectual Property (IP) in the MUT Research Directorate, said the WIPO SA Summer School will take place on the last week of November and the first week of December 2024, and 2025. Further to this, he advised that the summer schools are an exciting two-week opportunity for professionals with an interest in the field of technology transfer, intellectual property and commercialisation.
“In an effort to develop skilled professionals in the field, NIPMO has established relationships with World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) in order to implement a two-week capacity development programme, which responds to the demand for knowledge and skills in IP training, teaching, and research,” said Hlongwane. He also said that the primary objective of the Summer School was to provide an opportunity for local and international senior students, and young professionals to acquire a deeper knowledge of IP and TT. The two-week programme consists of lectures, case studies, simulation exercises and group discussions on related topics, it also focuses on issues pertaining to the management and commercialization of IP emanating from public finance research and development.
Hlongwane said that the Summer School will attract participants from diverse backgrounds – researchers, professionals and entrepreneurs, and hosting the WIPO SA Summer School will create a valuable networking opportunity, connecting the University with potential partners, collaborators and industry experts. “In addition, it will help us in equipping our own students, academics and researchers who will be participating.
MUT will be entering into two separate funding agreements. These agreements will be between Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and MUT, and CIPC and MUT.
In her letter to the Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Marcus Ramogale, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Engagement (RIE), Professor Nokuthula Sibiya, described this as “exciting news that will put our university on the map, and strengthen our TTO and commercialisation of research”.