Essential IP Management

The Essential IP Management course is part of the Essential Short Course Series™ and is held over a period of two days.

This course will sensitise young scientists to the central role of IP generation in their professional careers, and that IP requires management in order to obtain benefit from it, and provides all the necessary background to place IP in the context of the innovation pipeline in both the public and private sectors. Senior scientists will be updated on the impact of the new TIA and IPR Acts. Practical systems that must be in place for intelligent IP management will be addressed, with examples. Case studies will be discussed to highlight the pitfalls in the area of IP protection.

The course was custom designed for professionals working in the science environment. The following individuals should attend:

  • Science professionals responsible for IP management.
  • Students entering a professional career in either academia or the private sector, or students with a desire to understand IP management.
  • Supervisors and post-graduate students in South Africa who now have a legal obligation to disclose IP generated with public funds.

Course Programme

Overview of IP

  • IP in the value chain

IP ownership vs. IP rights

Worldwide trends in IP law

  • IP related legislation in South Africa

National level of IP management in South Africa

  • Technology Innovation Agency (TIA)
  • Publicly funded entities

IP in the academic environment in South Africa

IP in the private sector

Management of IP

  • Systems required at various levels of the entity
  • Responsibilities of entity and staff
  • Follow the IP trail
  • Access to data and IP
  • Contractual dimension of IP, including Role of the non-disclosure agreement (NDA); Role of the material transfer agreement (MTA); Impact of IP management on other contracts
  • Practical tips and lessons learned

Protection of IP

  • Copyright and related rights
  • Trade marks
  • Trade names
  • Trade secrets
  • Patents, product vs. process

National bodies related to IP protection

International bodies related to IP protection

IP services

Commercialisation of IP

Contracts

Collaborations, resource sharing and IP

Disputes and resolving conflict

IP and crime, including plagiarism

Common IP mistakes

Case studies

This is a preliminary programme, and the sequence may change.

Comments of previous delegates on our Essential IP Management® short course:

“This course should be included as part of the curriculum at least at postgraduate level for all students.”

“Personally this course (is) well conceptualised and presented and the information gained invaluable. I would recommend that all students and supervisors be trained in it.”

“This will enable me to protect my intellectual property.”

“This is an important course which should be added to the curriculum of university undergraduate and honours and seminars for masters PhD students and staff members in the academic field.”

“A definite recommendation as a course to be presented and implemented at all academic levels.”

“Thank you the course is making us to be well aware to the things that we never thought could affect us as scientists – I am now IP aware.”

“The course is of a high quality, essential and informative.”

“This course has opened another world for me in the field of research.”

“The IP course opened up my mind now I am thinking ahead broadly, each and every scientist I think should know and understand IP…”