HARARE - The Africa Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) in collaboration with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Ghana have launched a two-year Master of Science in Intellectual Property (MIP) program.

According to ARIPO, the program that is jointly organized by ARIPO and KNUST was launched on August 28, 2018.

The Malawi's Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, who is also the Chairman of the ARIPO Council of Ministers, Hon. Samuel Tembenu said the program was timely as African countries need to bridge the capacity gap on intellectual property. He added that growth in Africa and ability to compete in the knowledge economy would be facilitated by the increase of innovation in the continent.

He commended ARIPO for recognizing the IP capacity gap and for taking the necessary measures by the launch of the MIP program in Ghana which also complements the MIP program at the Africa University in Mutate, Zimbabwe. The two programs will increase the numbers of IP experts in Africa.

The ARIPO Director General, Mr. Fernando dos Santos said that ARIPO is committed to provide a critical mass of IP professionals to facilitate the socio-economic development of not only ARIPO member countries, but Africa as a whole.

He praised Mr. Sylvanus Tettey-Tamakloe, Ghana's former ambassador to Zimbabwe, for the special role he played in bringing the programme to KNUST and thanked the university authorities for accepting to host the course.

The KNUST Vice Chancellor, Professor Kwasi Obiri Danso, was grateful for the fruition of the programme. He said it was timely as Ghana needed professionals in the IP sector to deal with the numerous challenges in the area.

The Ghana Registrar General, Ms. Jemima Mamaa Oware, said IP education and dissemination was high on the agenda of the National Intellectual Property reforms and it is envisaged that it would be taught from kindergarten to the tertiary levels.

ARIPO is sponsoring ten students from its member states.