The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), through its WIPO Academy, organized the Joint Masters/LL.M. in IP Law and Management Program in collaboration with the Office of Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM) and National Law University, Delhi (NLUD), with support from the Funds-In-Trust Japan Industrial Property Global (FIT/Japan IP Global).
Overview of the graduation ceremony
The program, coordinated by the WIPO Academy as part of its mission to enhance global IP education, celebrated its first graduation on September 6, 2025, at National Law University, Delhi (NLUD), India.
A total of 61 participants successfully completed the program. At the ceremony, Hon’ble Mrs. Justice B.V. Nagarathna, Judge, Supreme Court of India delivered the convocation address, emphasizing the need to remain guided by one's ethical compass and to embrace innovation.
The graduates are expected to play significant roles in the field of intellectual property, promoting growth, investment, and sustainable development in India and its neighboring regions.
About the program
This program was established jointly by WIPO, the Office of the CGPDTM, and NLUD through the signing of a Letter of Intent on October 12, 2023, to offer a dual-track program: an LL.M. in IP Law and Management for law students, and Master’s Degree in IP Law and Management for non-law students. It is intended for the benefit of participants from developing countries, LDCs, countries in transition, and other regions. This cooperation marks the first program in India to be jointly organized by WIPO and its partners.
Overview of the first edition
The first edition of the program commenced on August 16, 2024, with opening remarks delivered by then Vice President of India Mr. Jagdeep Dhankar. The curriculum for the program was developed under the academic guidance of the WIPO Academy, combining lectures from leading academics, WIPO officials, and international IP experts. A total of 70 participants enrolled in this program. Among them, six participants received scholarships, two international students received a scholarship funded by FIT/Japan IP Global while the remaining were funded by the WIPO Academy. All scholars successfully completed the course.
The program featured lectures by distinguished Japanese intellectual property experts, which greatly contributed to deepening participants’ knowledge in the field. For trademarks, lectures were delivered by Mr. Yugen Sasaki, Deputy Director, Trademark Policy Planning Office, Trademark Division, Japan Patent Office, and Mr. Ryo Kobayashi, Specialist for Trademark Planning, Trademark Policy Planning Office, Trademark Division, Japan Patent Office. For patents, a lecture was given by Mr. Hiroyuki Nakano, the attaché at the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) in New Delhi.
Through these comprehensive lectures and coursework, participants gained valuable insights into the global intellectual property landscape.