The First WIPO Summer Internship Program isto Begin this Week

Geneva, July 13, 1998
Press Updates UPD/1998/27

For the first time in its 28 year history, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has organized a Summer Internship Program. This six-week program, which will take place at WIPO headquarters in Geneva, begins on July 15, 1998 and will end on August 31, 1998.

The WIPO Summer Internship Program has been developed to meet the growing demand for on-the-job practical training by students and young professionals. It is an important new component of the comprehensive range of training carried out by the WIPO Worldwide Academy. The WIPO Worldwide Academy develops and delivers modern, tailor-made intellectual property training programs across the globe. Demand for such training has risen significantly in tandem with the rising prominence of intellectual property in the global economy.

The WIPO Summer Internship Program is designed to provide an opportunity for students and young professionals to gain first-hand experience of the substantive aspects of the Organization's work and of current intellectual property issues. Areas of exposure will include treaty-making, international registrations and research. In the course of this intensive six-week program, participants will benefit from the expertise of WIPO staff who will act as advisers. They will also attend a series of lectures and presentations on a variety of specialist topics. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to undertake research on a subject of their choice.

Twelve candidates from Algeria, Chile, Côte d'Ivoire, Denmark, France, Israel, Peru, Republic of Tanzania, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland and the United States of America will participate in the 1998 Summer Internship Program. Participants, selected on the basis of their academic background and attainment, will be awarded a Certificate of Participation upon satisfactory completion of all of the Program's requirements.

For further details of training courses offered by WIPO, please contact Mr. Jaime Sevilla, Director, WIPO Worldwide Academy: