WIPO Intellectual Property Courses
Intellectual property (IP) rights are important in the biotechnology industry; one only has to look at a licensing, consulting or service agreement to appreciate this.
If you are a non-lawyer new to the area, and wish to gain a basic understanding of the different types of intellectual property protection such as copyright, trademarks, industrial design, patents and unfair competition, then the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Academy offers a free general course (DL-101).
The course is delivered online, twice a year, over 6 weeks. If you are a native English speaker, it takes far less time to complete than the 50 hours suggested. What makes the course work well is you can download the study material as PDF files. These can then be read anywhere – I used my kindle.
An additional benefit, if you have an ego wall in your den or office, is that WIPO send you a certificate after you pass a final exam. When I lived in the UK, I put all my certificates on the wall in the downstairs toilet, an idea I “borrowed” from Mrs Thatcher’s eye surgeon when I had dinner at his home. British understatement at its best.
Although the WIPO general course is not focused on biotechnology or the life sciences industry, it does provide a useful overview of international treaties and IP regulation to build upon. It is worth considering if you are new to the area.
With best wishes for the New Year, may it bring you good health, happiness and prosperity.
