GENEVA – The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Academy and United Nations University’s Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (UNU-MERIT) in the Netherlands have agreed to collaborate in developing advanced expertise in innovation governance at the graduate level, a press release stated by WIPO. 

WIPO Director General Daren Tang and Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala, Rector of UNU-MERIT and UN Under-Secretary-General, signed an agreement at WIPO Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

The agreement is the first-of-its-kind between the WIPO Academy and a UN entity, and it will support the training of the next generation of innovation economists from around the world to conduct empirical research to better understand the role of intellectual property (IP) in innovation.

“Congratulations to UNU-MERIT and WIPO on the new Memorandum of Understanding. UNU-MERIT brings expertise in innovation research for inclusive sustainable development, which will complement WIPO's expertise and the WIPO Academy portfolio to enable innovation for the benefit of all. As we move deeper into the Fourth Industrial Revolution, innovation governance is essential to ensure we are working for the good of humanity. I look forward to the multiplication of knowledge that will come out of this strategic partnership,” Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala, Rector of UNU-MERIT and UN Under-Secretary-General said. 

“The WIPO-UNU-MERIT agreement will drive sustainable development through a Master’s Degree with a specialization in Governance of Innovation. The program will address the evolving IP education and skills-building needs of the next generation of scholars and practitioners. Additionally, the Executive Training Programs will offer training to a broader range of stakeholders within the innovation ecosystem, prioritizing policy makers and innovation professionals from developing countries”, Mr. Sherif Saadallah, Executive Director of the WIPO Academy said. 

What is the Master’s Degree Program about?

The WIPO Academy will support the Governance of Innovation specialization track of UNU-MERIT’s Master of Science Degree in Public Policy and Human Development by:

• Developing the IP curriculum,
• Providing experts to teach in the program, and
• Advising on thesis topics and projects undertaken by participants.

The Master of Science Degree in Public Policy and Human Development with a specialization in the Governance of Innovation provides students with an in-depth understanding of the economic fundamentals of innovation and the policy instruments used to foster innovation. The collaboration underscores a shared commitment to foster global research and education on IP and innovation.

Additionally, WIPO and UNU-MERIT will collaborate on future editions of the WIPO Executive Training Programs to bring IP closer to economists doing advanced research on the governance of innovation and enhance practical skills in the fields of IP and innovation.