The First Regional General Distance Learning Course on IP Launches for the Andean Community

April 18, 2024

The WIPO Academy and the General Secretariat of the Andean Community teamed up to develop a tailored version of the Academy’s landmark General Distance Learning Course on Intellectual Property (DL-101) for the Andean Community. The Andean Community is a trade block comprising four countries: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. The course is now open for registration until August 30, 2024 on the WIPO eLearning Center.

Sign up for the Special Version of the DL-101 Course for the Andean Community

What does the course cover?

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(Image: Liubomyr Vorona / iStock / GettyImages Plus )

The course is offered exclusively in Spanish and covers the basics of intellectual property (IP) in the context of legislation and examples relevant to the Andean Community. Topics such as traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions, country branding, and geographical indications are addressed throughout the course under the guidance of a dedicated tutor from the Andean Community and a digital avatar.

A joint certificate from the WIPO Academy and the General Secretariat of the Andean Community is awarded to those who successfully complete the course. The first edition of the course will run from September 3 to November 14, 2024, with the final exam taking place from November 13 to 16, 2024.

Please contact the course administration for any enquiries about the course or registration process.

The course launch event in Peru

A dedicated launch event was held at the General Secretariat of the Andean Community headquarters in Lima, Peru on April 11, 2024.

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Panelists at the launch event of the special version of the General Distance Learning Course on IP for the Andean Community in Lima, Peru on April 11, 2024. (from left to right) Mr. José Alfredo Pérez Duharte, Director of the National School for the Defense of Competition and Intellectual Property at the National Institute for the Defense of Competition and Protection of Intellectual Property of Peru; Ms. Pilar María Goyeneche Carvajal, Superintendent Delegate for Industrial Property at the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce of Colombia; Mr. Sherif Saadallah, Executive Director of the WIPO Academy; Ms. Daniela Almeida Puyol, Delegate of the International Relations Unit at Ecuador's National Service of Intellectual Rights; Mr. Gabriel Benites Arrieta, Intellectual Property Specialist at the General Secretariat of the Andean Community; and Ms. Elizabeth Huanca, Head of the General Directorate of Social Development, Cooperation and Intellectual Property at the Andean Community. (Image: Jonathan Tapia (SGCAN))

Mr. Sherif Saadallah, Executive Director of the WIPO Academy, Ambassador Gonzalo Gutiérrez, Secretary-General of the Andean Community, and Ms. Ana Lia López Benito, representative of the Pro Tempore Presidency of the Andean Community opened the event. The launch event was attended by the heads of IP offices of member states of the Andean Community including Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Participants engaged in panel discussions on the importance of IP for sustainable development, and the role of the WIPO Academy in enhancing the IP skills-building capabilities of IP offices across the Andean Community’s member states.

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(Image: Jonathan Tapia (SGCAN))

Our aspiration is that this course will be incorporated as a tool for the training of specialists in IP law in the Andean Community and that it will contribute to strengthening our community law. It will be extremely useful for all groups interested in the use of IP, such as students, academics, researchers, large and small companies, entrepreneurs, and indigenous communities. Nowadays, the world of IP extends to all spheres of our social life, and it is very important to know our rights to project its defense in the future.

Ambassador Gonzalo Gutiérrez, Secretary-General of the Andean Community
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(Image: WIPO/Berrod)

The WIPO Academy and the Andean Community team who worked on this course have meticulously introduced the case studies, examples, and scenarios that will enable learners, and in particular young people, in the Andean Community to effectively apply theoretical knowledge on innovation to practical situations.  We are very pleased to inform you that this course contains one of the most dynamic content using up-to-date education technologies including avatar-led audio segments, live video conferences, and asynchronous discussion forums that offer a unique, inspiring, and enjoyable learning experience. I would like to recognize that although this flagship course has been customized by more than 20 Member States; this is the first-time it has been customized to meet the context of a regional community.

Mr. Sherif Saadallah, Executive Director of the WIPO Academy

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