| Description: |
As has been the practice during the previous years, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), in cooperation with the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) and with the assistance of the Japan Patent Office (JPO) under the Funds in Trust Arrangement for Africa and Least Developed Countries (LDCs), organized the Regional Patent Drafting Courses for patent agents of the ARIPO Member States and Observer States in 2015 and 2017. Those Courses comprising the training workshop and the on-line follow-up were successfully concluded with positive feedback from both the participants and the trainers.
The Courses improved the capacity of the patent agents to draft patent applications that adequately protect the interests of local inventors. This year, ARIPO would like the training to target those who have technical background in the innovation sector. This would also be in line with the WIPO-ARIPO Pilot Projects for implementing the Guidelines for Institutional IP Policies in Universities and Research Institutes in Africa in 2018/2019. The Pilot Projects envisage, apart from developing institutional IP Policies and strategies, capacity building and skills development in: (i) patent drafting for “technology intermediaries” who assist inventors to protect their inventions, including staff of universities and research institutes and innovation support centers; and (ii) access to information and knowledge through the TISC projects.
It is within this context that this patent drafting training embodies the spirit of “working as one” as the different sectors of WIPO collaborate in delivering an activity.
Following discussions with RBA, PLD, JPO and ARIPO, it is now proposed to organize the WIPO Patent Drafting Course for the ARIPO Member States and Observer States in Harare, Zimbabwe, from September 3 to 7, 2018.
The objective of this Course is to improve the capacity and skills of targeted participants in drafting patent applica |