The WIPO – South Africa Advanced Summer School on IP and Technology Transfer successfully equipped participants with practical skills in IP management and commercialization while fostering international collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Strengthening Practical Capacity in IP and Technology Transfer
The Summer School was hosted by the Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT), South Africa, from November 24 to December 5, 2025. It brought together 135 participants from 30 countries, including 11 participants sponsored by FIT/Japan IP Global, to deepen their practical knowledge of IP and technology transfer.
The two-week intensive program covered a wide range of IP topics through lectures, case studies, and group exercises. Sessions also addressed IP valuation, commercialization, and licensing practices, with practical exercises on IP transactions, audits, and negotiation strategies.
High-Level Expertise and Interactive Learning
The program featured distinguished speakers from academia, government, and the private sector contributed to the program. Dr. Anette Mienie, Director, Research at MUT, chaired the opening ceremony. Speeches were delivered by Ms. Jetane Charsley, Head, NIPMO, Mr. Rory Voller, Commissioner, CIPC, Mr. Minoru Nitta, Director of International Cooperation Division of the Japan Patent Office (JPO) and Ms. Maria-Stella Ntamark, Program Officer, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Academy. The speakers emphasized the importance of intellectual property and transfer of technology.
Interactive components were central to the program. Participants engaged in roundtable discussions on national and international IP policies, industry-academia collaboration, government funding models, and the role of patents and know-how in technology transfer. Exercises included group work to develop IP strategies, prepare licensing and commercialization plans, and present findings, reinforcing hands-on learning.
Addressing Global Trends and Fostering International Collaboration
The Summer School also addressed emerging global developments, including the including the Fourth Industrial Revolution, AI, and the link between IP and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as topical issues such as open innovation and innovation ecosystem.
Overall, the program provided participants with a comprehensive and practice-oriented understanding of IP and technology transfer. The vast majority reported that the program significantly enhanced their knowledge of intellectual property, underscoring the effectiveness of the program in strengthening IP capabilities across regions.