Summer School on Intellectual Property and Technology empowers African youth

University students and young professionals from different countries will gather at University of the North, Turfloop Campus to attend the 2-week World Intellectual Property Organization -South Africa (WIPO-SA) Summer School on Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer. The Summer School running from 20 November – 2 December 2023, is an annual workshop organised by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) through its National Intellectual Property Management Office (NIPMO) in collaboration with WIPO, Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), Japan Patent Office and the University of Limpopo as the host.

The 2023 edition to be held under the theme “Intellectual Property Uniting Africa”, aims to provide an opportunity for participants to acquire a deeper knowledge of intellectual property and technology transfer and how they can be used as a tool for sustainable development.

WIPO has awarded bursaries to 20 international participants from developing countries, mainly from the African region and 5 South African participants. The DSI, through NIPMO, also awarded partial bursaries to 8 local participants.

Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Limpopo, Prof. Mahlo Mokgalong, WIPO Academy’s Acting Head of Academic Institutions Program, Ms Martha Chikowore, DSI’s Head of NIPMO, Ms Jetane Charsley, CIPC’s Commissioner, Rory Voller and Embassy of Japan in SA’s Mr Tasuku Nakanishi will address the official opening on 20 November 2023.

Other speakers and moderators of the event are drawn from a wider network within the National System of Innovation (NSI) and other relevant bodies, and they include Small and Micro Enterprise (SME) incubators, industry, private law firms, public officials, higher education institutions, Southern African Development Community (SADC), the DSI, Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) and international organisations.

Media are invited to the opening session as follows:

Date: 20 November 2023

Time: 9:30- 12:00

Venue: Languages Laboratory Building, University of Limpopo, Turfloop.

For more information, please contact Julian Leshilo-Sebake on 060 961 2194 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.