June 17, 2019

Korea takes a new initiative with WIPO in nurturing global talents on IP and Development

Korea takes a new initiative with WIPO in nurturing global talents on IP and Development
The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), the Korea Development Institute (KDI) School, Sejong City, and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) will sign an MOU to establish a Joint Master's Program in Intellectual Property and Development Policy (MIPD) at the KDI School in Sejong, the Republic of Korea. In attendance for the signing of this opportune cooperation are KIPO Commissioner Park Won-joo, KDI President Choi Jeong Pyo, Sejong City Mayor Lee Choon-hee, and WIPO Director General Francis Gurry, which will be held on June 13 at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Seoul.

The Joint MIPD is a unique higher education program that focuses on the links between IP and Development. As the first of its kind, it will provide students with the knowledge, expertise and practical know-how on the use of IP for innovation, economic growth and sustainable development. The new program will be offered at the KDI School in January 2020.
In the wake of the fourth Industrial Revolution, there is increasing importance on innovation and creativity and the role of the intellectual property system as a means of achieving economic growth and sustainable development. The program is designed to respond to the international need for human resources in IP and development and to nurture IP policymakers and global leaders working in the public and private sector.

Leveraging Korea's unique development experience, this IP-based convergence program will also provide practical education opportunity for students from developing countries to learn from the Korean experience. In the last half century, Korea has successfully transformed from a low-income agrarian economy into an innovative economy through the strategic use of IP.

The detailed curriculum incorporates topics on the general theories of IP and development policy, the international IP system, and Korea’s economic development. Experts from the KDI faculty, KIPO, WIPO and speakers from the private sector and other academic institutions will teach the courses at the KDI School. Additionally, Sejong City’s government will support the practical education aspects of the program by providing internship opportunities for international students.

Commissioner Park Won-joo of KIPO, while emphasizing that "it has been already statistically proven that active operation of IP system is closely related to economic growth," said “I hope that the MIPD program will contribute to nurturing a highly capable global workforce to lead economic growth in developing countries."

WIPO Director General Francis Gurry, while mentioning that “this new initiative is in line with our efforts in Development Agenda to assist developing countries to use the IP system to further their economic, cultural and social growth,” said “I believe that it will be of great interest to WIPO Member States.”