Tongji University, in cooperation with the WIPO Academy, hosted the Tongji International Intellectual Property (IP) Forum in Shanghai on July 9, 2019. The Forum focused on the topic of design and IP in the digital age, bringing together different perspectives from academic, governmental and the private sector, to discuss relevant challenges and opportunities brought about by digitalization..

The Forum coincided with the closing ceremony of the second edition of the WIPO-Tongji University Joint Master’s Degree Program in IP with a Specialization in Design, and an “International IP Workshop of Master’s Students” on July 8, where students on the current edition of the program presented their thesis proposals to professors and peers

(PHOTO: TONGJI UNIVERSITY)

On July 10, following the Tongji International IP Forum, the WIPO Academy and Tongji University organized the first roundtable for all of the WIPO Joint Master’s Programs partner universities.  The roundtable provided an opportunity to discuss future collaboration opportunities among the participating universities.

   Representatives from Africa UniversityAnkara UniversityJagiellonian UniversityQueensland University of TechnologySan Andrés UniversityTongji Universityand the University of Turin attended the roundtable. (Photo: Xiaoshi Xi)

Among the recommendations proposed by the roundtable for further consideration, were the following:

• creation of the WIPO International Network for Intellectual Property Education (WINIPe) as a platform for sharing ideas and experiences among participating WIPO Joint Master’s degree partner universities with the view to strengthening cooperation among the programs

• development of a roster of intellectual property (IP) professors teaching in the WIPO Joint Master’s Programs;

• exchange of IP materials and publications by participating universities;

• establishment of an exchange program for the professors and visiting scholars across the universities;

• organization of biennial WINIPe roundtables;

• hosting of the first WIPO Joint Master’s Programs Alumni conference to be (tentatively proposed for 2022);

• promotion of the WIPO Academy’s alumni network on LinkedIn;

• support for increased cooperation with the public and private sectors in the delivery of the Joint Master’s Programs; and

• establishment of links for collaboration in research and publications among the participating universities.

Participants were also invited to visit the Shanghai High People’s Court for meetings with Mr. Zhen Tang, Deputy Chief Judge of the Intellectual Property Tribunal of China.