Professional Development Program

Catalog of Courses

The Professional Development Program brochure for 2009  is available in PDF format in English, French and Spanish. 

Objectives

The Professional Development Program offers courses that are part of the WIPO Training Program, which seeks to provide general and specialized training for professionals in the field of intellectual property. The program is carried out at WIPO Headquarters and in partnership with governments and specialized institutions, such as national and regional intellectual property offices, where participants receive practical training.

The various courses offered by the Professional Development Program provide basic or specialized training on the law, administration and enforcement of intellectual property rights and the use and dissemination of industrial property documentation and information. The courses cover all fields of intellectual property: industrial property, copyright and related rights.

 

General Information

Fields and Scope of Training

The WIPO training program covers all fields of intellectual property: industrial property, copyright and related rights. The program offers training on international developments in the field of intellectual property at WIPO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. It also offers practical training at one or more cooperating national or regional industrial property or copyright offices. The types of courses offered, including a brief summary of the issues covered, are described below.

Target Groups

Training is provided for persons in the fields of industrial property and copyright or related rights. Efforts are made to select the form of training that best suits the needs of the office concerned as well as that of the candidate. The WIPO training program is demand-driven and aims at promoting exchange of information among different groups, including right owners, administrators and law enforcement officers. The target groups include intellectual property officials from Member States in industrial property offices, copyright offices and other ministries whose mandate comprises intellectual property issues.

Eligibility

Candidates to be nominated by governments should, in general, belong to one of the above-mentioned target groups. Candidates from the private sector should submit their applications through the relevant government authorities responsible for intellectual property matters. Attention is drawn to the information on the nature and scope of each course and the qualification requirements therefor. Government authorities are requested to propose only persons who are expected to continue their service in the field of intellectual property, or in related institutions, on completion of their training.

Candidates for the Interregional Intermediate Seminar on Industrial Property and the Interregional Intermediate Seminar on Copyright and Related Rights should complete the Distance Learning Course (DL-101) "General Course on Intellectual Property" and pass the examination. The Distance Learning Catalog of Courses gives the registration dates for the coming year and candidates may register online through that page.

Candidates who do not have access to the Internet may request the WIPO Worldwide Academy to provide a CD-ROM containing the DL-101 Course.

Language Proficiency

Candidates are required to have a good knowledge of the language in which the training is to be conducted. 

In order to be considered, candidates from a country where the official or national language is not the language of training must submit a certificate of proficiency in that language. The certificate should be from a language institution recognized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) office in the candidate’s country. 

In the absence of such a certificate, candidates will be required to pass a language test organized by the UNDP office in that country.

Candidates from a country without a UNDP office should present other language certificates, preferably issued by public institutions.

Application Form

The application form should be duly completed and signed by the applicant and endorsed by the Minister or other senior official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or relevant Ministry before it can be considered.

Special attention is drawn to sections 10 to 12 of the form, which should be completed correctly, stating clearly defined training requirements and the objectives that the candidate wishes to achieve.

A recent photograph of the candidate must also be attached to the application form.

Applications will be considered for training in 2009.

Application form is available in [PDF] and in [DOC] formats. You may also obtain the form from your national intellectual property office or ministry of foreign affairs.

Selection of Candidates

The selection of candidates is carried out by WIPO.  The government authorities will be notified of the selected candidates through direct channels as well as, where applicable, the relevant UNDP office.

Information concerning travel and other administrative arrangements for participation in the training program will be communicated through the UNDP office or directly to the candidate.

Administrative Arrangements

Medical Insurance

Holders of WIPO fellowships participating in courses or seminars lasting two weeks or more are covered by a medical insurance taken by WIPO throughout the training period. Details of the medical insurance scheme are sent to selected candidates.

Medical Examination

Candidates selected for fellowships lasting two weeks or more are required to undergo a medical examination that confirms their good health. The medical examination is to be carried out by a physician recognized by the United Nations in the candidate's country.
When applicable, WIPO will inform the selected candidates of the requirement for medical examination through the relevant UNDP office.

Visa Requirements

In view of the strict entry visa requirements of countries in which the training courses or seminars will be organized, WIPO will not authorize the selected candidates to travel unless they have obtained all the required entry visas in advance.

Travel and Accommodation Arrangements

Travel and subsistence expenses are borne by WIPO and/or by the governments or organizations cooperating with WIPO in organizing the training course. Participants will receive a daily subsistence allowance adequate to cover the cost of accommodation and meals. In certain cases, the allowance is partly replaced by free-of-charge accommodation and/or meals.

Evaluation and Reports

At the end of each course or seminar, the participants are required to complete an evaluation questionnaire prepared by WIPO. The answers to the questionnaire are treated in strict confidence. They are intended to serve as a basis for assessing the value of, as well as to enrich, the various courses and seminars in order to help WIPO improve its courses in the future.

Each participant in the WIPO training program is also required to transmit a report on the course or seminar following completion.

The report should contain brief comments on the contents, organization and other relevant aspects of the course or seminar. WIPO also welcomes suggestions or recommendations that would assist it in improving its training program. Reports and suggestions are treated in strict confidence.

Certificates

A certificate of participation will be issued to the participants at the end of each training program.

Special Conditions

Attendance

Regular attendance is compulsory throughout the training period. WIPO reserves the right to terminate the fellowship of any participant who fails to meet this requirement.

Accompanying Persons

Participants are requested not to bring any accompanying persons to the courses. In any event, WIPO will not take any responsibility or incur administrative costs or take any action (e.g., make travel arrangements, provide a subsistence allowance, arrange entry visas and insurance, etc.) for such persons. Arrangements made for the participants by WIPO and/or the host institutions are solely for the benefit of the participants.

 

How to apply

Application Form

The application form should be duly completed and signed by the applicant and endorsed by the Minister or other senior official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or relevant Ministry before it can be considered.

Special attention is drawn to sections 10 to 12 of the form, which should be completed correctly, stating clearly defined training requirements and the objectives that the candidate wishes to achieve.

A recent photograph of the candidate must also be attached to the application form.

Applications will be considered for training in 2009.

Application form is available in [PDF] and in [DOC] formats. You may also obtain the form from your national intellectual property office or ministry of foreign affairs.