Polish PTO Hosts Regional Symposium on Teaching IP at Universities

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), in cooperation with the Polish Patent Office and the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, has recently held an inter-regional symposium on teaching intellectual property at universities in countries in transition.

The symposium took place in Krakow, Poland, on June 18 and 19, 2009. According to the WIPO and the Polish PTO, the objective of the event was to exchange experiences in developing modern teaching curricula and teaching materials among countries in transition.

Besides WIPO and Polish PTO representatives, the event also gathered representatives of various European and international universities and research institutions. They discussed the following topics:

1. Importance of capacity building in intellectual property in the 21st century;
2. Methodologies and experience in IP teaching and training;
3. Example of teaching IP at Polish universities;
4. Government support in IP teaching in countries in transition;
5. Country reports: experience, practices, methodologies in developing IP teaching curricula;
6. Strategies and programs for IP education in South Korea;
7. Methodologies for IP teaching and training and experience of WIPO and the WIPO Worldwide Academy (WWA).

Symposium participants adopted a decision to improve teaching methods in the field of intellectual property, and to create conditions for the introduction of specialized departments for training of IP specialists at the universities in countries in transition.

For more information, please contact Jovana Miocinovic in our Balkan Regional Office.