A New Frontier of Collaboration Between WIPO Academy & the Sultanate of Oman
June 23, 2023
WIPO and the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion of the Sultanate of Oman organized a high-level dialogue from June 5 to 6, 2023 in Muscat, Oman to forge a new frontier of collaboration, particularly in the area of intellectual property (IP) education and skills-building.
The dialogue marks the first ever high-level discussion on cooperation initiatives between WIPO and 100 participants from 32 ministries, government agencies, the private sector and academic institutions in a member state. Over 20 senior WIPO officials participated in the meeting to discuss the implementation of ongoing and future cooperation projects.
The cooperation aims to encourage the exploitation of IP assets in Oman to generate employment opportunities at the national level. The high-level dialogue took place in hybrid format and was preceded by a seminar on IP protection.
Mr. Sherif Saadallah, Executive Director of the WIPO Academy at the opening session of the High-Level Dialogue on July 5, 2023 in Muscat, Oman. (Photo: Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion of Oman)
How will the WIPO Academy contribute to the IP ecosystem of Oman?
The WIPO Academy will be helping Oman through cross-cutting efforts in IP capacity and skills-building, across its programs including:
- Customizing distance learning courses, including the General Distance Learning Course on IP (DL-101);
- Continuing to deliver programs for school teachers on the introduction of educational material on IP, innovation and creativity in classrooms through the IP4Youth&Teachers service;
- Offering a Joint Master’s Degree Program;
- Organizing summer schools on IP starting in 2024;
- Cooperating with the Supreme Judicial Council and the Judicial Institute of Oman on the training of judges;
- Training Omani diplomats on IP in close cooperation with the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Oman, starting in the final quarter of 2023; and
- Establishing a WIPO IP Training Institution with Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation.
Fortifying the support
His Highness Sayyid Bilarab bin Haitham bin Tarik Al Said, Honorary President of the Omani Programme for Promising Omani Start-ups and His Excellency Mr. Qais Mohammed Al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion of Oman met with WIPO Director General Daren Tang at WIPO Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland on June 21, 2023 to reinforce the discussions on the ongoing and future cooperation projects, including those under the WIPO Academy.