CIPO Hosts 26th Annual CIPO-WIPO Executive Program

From: Canadian Intellectual Property Office

News release

October 31, 2024 – Gatineau, Quebec – Canadian Intellectual Property Office

The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO), in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), successfully hosted its 26th annual CIPO-WIPO Executive Program from October 7 to 11, 2024, in the National Capital Region. This Program brought together senior officials from 9 intellectual property (IP) offices around the world to strengthen their skills in IP management and governance.

On October 7th, 2024, the CEO of CIPO Mr. Konstantinos Georgaras and the Deputy Director General (DDG) of WIPO Mr. Hasan Kleib signed a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on delivering joint training for senior officials from IP Offices around the world. The MOU solidifies collaboration between the two organizations through the revamped CIPO-WIPO Executive Program which started 27 years ago.

Since its inception in 1997, CIPO has collaborated with WIPO to offer an annual Executive Program, sharing management and governance techniques with IP offices from developing countries. The Program's objective is to provide capacity building and a forum for exchange between senior IP officials from developing countries and CIPO. This annual event has become a key platform for international collaboration.

The 2024 Program was re-designed to address current challenges, with sessions focused on reducing backlogs, improving quality control, and introducing new services to better serve stakeholders. 2024 also marked the first in-person edition since the pandemic. CIPO was honored by the attendance of WIPO's DDG Mr. Hasan Kleib to mark this special occasion.

Quotes

"We are proud to continue our long-standing partnership with WIPO to deliver this program, which is instrumental in fostering international cooperation and advancing the global IP system. It is, in fact, CIPO's flagship technical assistance initiative. This program allows us to share skills and knowledge with IP offices worldwide, exchange practices and experiences, and brainstorm solutions to the changing IP landscape."

– Konstantinos Georgaras, Commissioner of Patents, Registrar of Trademarks and Chief Executive Officer

Quick facts

  • The CIPO-WIPO Executive Program has hosted over 200 participants from close to 90 countries since its inception in 1997.

  • This year marked the first in-person edition of the program since the pandemic.

  • Mr. Hasan Kleib, WIPO's Deputy Director General attended the Program to mark the occasion.

  • 9 senior officials from the African Regional Intellectual Property Office (ARIPO), the National IP Offices of Chile, Botswana, Egypt, Uganda, Philippines, Indonesia, Lao PDR and Cambodia attended this edition of the Program.

  • The 2024 Program introduced new content, including a roundtable on "IP Offices as Catalysts for Innovation."

  • Participants are paired with CIPO advisors to develop impactful IP projects for their respective offices, which provides tailored, hands-on mentorship over the course of a 20-week virtual project phase.

Associated links

Contacts

Media Relations
Innovation, Science and
Economic Development Canada
343-291-1777
media@ised-isde.gc.ca

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