Leadership Course on IP, Science and Innovation for Women Scientists

2023年5月3日

The WIPO Academy, UNESCO and the Korean Intellectual Property Office organized a four day Leadership Course on Intellectual Property, Science and Innovation for Women Scientists and Innovators from April 25 to 28, 2023 at WIPO Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

The course brought together 20 award-winning scientists from 16 countries who were selected by the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Programme. The scientists had the unique opportunity to learn about the role of intellectual property (IP) in scientific innovation through a customized training delivered by leading IP experts. The scientists also got practical knowledge on how to use IP to protect and commercialize their scientific innovations.

What did the course cover?

The Leadership Course marks the fifth edition of the collaboration between the WIPO Academy Distance Learning Program and UNESCO in empowering women scientists to benefit from the IP system. Through a series of interactive lectures, workshops and exercises, the scientists learned more about key topics such as:

  • The fundamentals of IP in the life sciences;
  • Innovation and gender;
  • The innovation lifecycle;
  • The Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ);
  • IP licensing and commercialization;
  • Open science; and
  • Funding and financial support for research in the life sciences.

The participants also joined a roundtable discussion on “Women in Science – Shaping the Future” which was held on the occasion of World IP Day on April 26, 2023, to spark a conversation on the vital role that women scientists play in driving innovation to improve the lives of people around the world. The roundtable was held in hybrid format and over 1,500 participants engaged in discussions on strategies to create enabling environments for women and girls to enter STEM fields and the IP system.

Scientist spotlight

After completing the Leadership Course, the scientists are eager to apply their IP knowledge in their field, to help other scientists too.

Gender equality at the WIPO Academy

The Leadership Course was organized under the Academy’s framework of promoting IP education to women and its commitment to gender equality. The WIPO Academy has consistently ensured an overall gender balance among its participants.

As part of the WIPO Academy’s efforts to bridge the gender gap in IP education, the WIPO IP Training Institutions are also organizing virtual Roundtables on Women and IP Education on May 3 and 4, 2023. The roundtables provide a space for an open dialogue and experience sharing on best practices for delivering impactful IP training and awareness-raising efforts for women, and on how women can use IP as a tool to enhance competitiveness in local industries.

Sign up for Roundtables on Women and IP Education

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