World Intellectual Property Organization to host the 10th summer school on intellectual property and technology transfer in South Africa

The management of intellectual property has become a critical factor in ensuring socio-economic growth in most countries, with IP rights increasingly recognised as a powerful tool for economic, social and cultural development.

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), with its South African partners and the Japan Patent Office, will host the 10th WIPO-South Africa Summer School on Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer in Bloemfontein from 26 November to 7 December 2018.

The South African partners are the Department of Science and Technology and its National Intellectual Property Management Office, the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission, and the Central University of Technology.

The summer school aims to educate and equip students and young professionals in IP to address the shortage of human resources in this field in Africa. It also promotes awareness of the importance of IP for economic and technological development and the benefits of the effective use of IP rights and the IP system.

The programme for this year’s summer school will cover a range of intellectual property tools from a technology transfer perspective.  Speakers from the private sector, academia and government will explore the relationship between technology transfer and patents, copyright, trademarks and traditional knowledge.

The media are invited to attend the opening of the Summer School as follows:

Date:       Monday, 26 November 2018

Time:       09:30-11:00

Venue:   Tuscan Rose, 6 Maluti Avenue, Bloemfontein

RSVP to Julian Leshilo-Sebake at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 060 961 2194.