What are the WIPO IP Training Institutions (IPTIs)?

November 7, 2022

The IPTIs are WIPO Academy’s support arm to tailor-made intellectual property (IP) training and skills-building aligned to local IP education needs and development goals.

Since launching in 2010 after a recommendation from the Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP), the Intellectual Property Training Institutions (IPTIs) sustainable model of capacity building became part of WIPO’s most in-demand services. Through the IPTIs, WIPO supports Member States with establishing their own IP training centers by:

  • Equipping their trainers with teaching and substantive technical skills to deliver programs targeted to key sectors of their countries and regions, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), women and the youth;
  • Designing a strategic business plan for the centers’ operation with a model to deploy its financial, human, and operational capabilities;
  • Helping partners to design and adapt impactful training programs and resources in innovative formats;
  • Offering IP resources and materials for setting-up libraries at the IPTIs; and
  • Providing support for building their digital presence.
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Once established, WIPO continues to provide ad hoc support for training projects, programs, collective services and tools to enhance IPTIs’ operations. Currently, there are 24 ad hoc cooperation projects underway, most of them are working to help IPTIs boost impactful trainings to SMEs in their countries in the context of post-pandemic economic recovery.

Each IPTI takes approximately two years and a half to be set up, and by 2022, 14 IPTIs will be established and 15 are underway, including with two regional organizations – the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

How do I find an IPTI in my country?

The WIPO Academy created an online network for existing IP training institutions worldwide. Information on each institution is available via the network, and members have access to an exclusive portal for established and ongoing IPTIs to share resources, services and experiences.

Established IPTIs are indicated on the Virtual Network Map:

IP training institutions interested in joining the Virtual Network are invited to fill out the contact form.  

What trainings do IPTIs offer?

Each established IPTI organizes regular trainings to meet local needs, often for SMEs in the technological sector, the food and gastronomy industries, and agri-production. Some IPTIs also provide training on IP monetization and commercialization for entrepreneurs as part of the WIPO COVID-19 package. All IPTI training opportunities are regularly advertised on the IPTIs’ events calendar.

Historically, IPTIs have reported the organization of 6,335 activities for 348,222 participants, out of which 48% were women and 46% from the private sector (from cumulative data up to 2021).

How do I request for an IPTI in my country?

Requests to the WIPO Academy for the establishment of an IPTI must be made through an official government authority such as the national IP office. At the moment, 11 Member States have expressed their interest in establishing an IPTI, excluding those ongoing IPTI projects.

The WIPO Academy’s approach to this capacity-building work is project-based. The process starts with preparatory work and a needs assessment to identify the IP education needs in a country. Following the needs assessment, WIPO and the relevant government authorities agree on the terms of cooperation, on the basis of which they jointly develop a strategy and work plan to tailor the project to national needs, resources, and priorities. The strategy and work plan are then implemented and the WIPO Academy delivers the different components of the abovementioned support for the establishment of the IPTI. After the launch, the WIPO Academy is closely involved in monitoring, impact evaluation, and ad hoc cooperation with the established IPTI.

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