Training and Education: Global Intellectual Property Academy (GIPA)
Mission
The Academy offers capacity building programs in the United States and around the world on intellectual property protection, enforcement, and capitalization. Capacity-building programs are offered to patent, trademark and copyright officials, judges, prosecutors, police, customs officials, foreign policy makers, examiners and rights owners.
The GIPA programs are key to accomplishing this vital endeavor. The programs present the U.S. methods for protecting the IP rights of business owners, complying with international IP-related treaty stipulations that protect the IP rights of business owners, and administering patent and trademark examining operations. In delivering capacity building programs the Academy works closely with other United States government agencies, trading partners and international organizations.
Through the programs officials are able to collaborate on understanding the international intellectual property obligations and norms. The participants are exposed to a United States model of protecting and enforcing intellectual property rights and promoting discussion of intellectual property issues in a learning environment.
The Global Intellectual Property Academy provides both multilateral programs and country specific programs. Some programs are developed to address specific legal issues, administrative issues and specific intellectual property areas.
The USPTO utilizes capacity building programs to assist countries in protecting and enforcing intellectual property rights. The Academy is delivering IP education worldwide.
This report includes the results from a 2009 GIPA Alumni Pilot Survey Project. The survey measured the effectiveness of our technical assistance and capacity building efforts, for additional information you can see the report at: 2009 GIPA Alumni Pilot Survey Project
Highlights:
Satisfied with their experience
- 95.6% of respondents rated their likeliness of recommending a GIPA training to a colleague a seven, eight, or nine (using a scale of 1-9, nine being the highest ranking), with a majority (62.9%) saying a nine.
Value their experience with GIPA
- 97% of respondents think that meeting people from all over the world was either generally valuable or very valuable.
Increased their learning and appreciation of Intellectual Property
- 93.1% of respondents agree or strongly agree that they have a better appreciation for international intellectual property rights and enforcement policy strategies.
- 92.6% of respondents agree or strongly agree that they are better able to comprehend, analyze, and evaluate intellectual property rights and enforcement issues.
Participants have begun to influence their organization and countries
- 81.2% of respondents report that they introduced new ideas and knowledge at their work to colleagues, and or/others in their country.
Welcome to the Global Intellectual Property Academy
The Global Intellectual Property Academy provides intellectual property training in a variety of different topics primarily that focus on enforcement, patents, trademarks, and copyrights. GIPA programs are run on a fiscal calendar from October to September and are conducted around the world. A large number of our classes are conducted at USPTO Headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia.
The participants in each of the GIPA classes must be officials of intellectual property offices of their respective governments, or of the agencies of their governments that are responsible for enforcement, patent, trademark, or copyright policies.
The Enforcement Programs are designed to focus on topics of criminal, civil, customs and border enforcement. These programs are technical and include a comprehensive course agenda.
The Patent Programs are designed to focus on topics that include administration, budgeting, examination procedures and industrial procedures. The patent program goals are to share best practices and therefore improve patent quality around the world.
The Trademark Programs are designed to focus on administration, budgeting, recruitment, training, and treaty protocol. These programs provide discussions and case studies on examination procedures.
The Copyright Programs include challenging issues that are discussed with leading professionals in their field. The program includes topics such as exclusive rights, fair use, liability and piracy.
For more information on these topics and more please check the schedule.
History of the Global Intellectual Property Academy (GIPA)
In 1985, the United States Patent and Trademark Office began a Visiting Scholar Program, through which foreign government officials dedicated to the protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) could attend lectures on the numerous related topics related to patents, trademarks, copyrights and IPR enforcement. The program was created to help countries around the world improve their intellectual property (IP) programs and services by training with experts in the United States. The purpose of the American Inventors Protection Act of 1999 (AIPA) (Pub. L. 106-113) created the foundation for USPTO to become a guiding force in both national and international IP Policy issues. The AIPA enabled the USPTO to advise the President, through the Secretary of Commerce and all Federal agencies on policy matters, including IP protection in other countries. This act also authorizes the USPTO to offer guidance, conduct programs and studies, and to coordinate with foreign IP offices and international organizations on issues concerning IP protection. The Office of International Property Policy Enforcement fulfills the various responsibilities created by the AIPA including training foreign IP officials on IP administration and enforcement.
In 2006, the USPTO established the Global Intellectual Property Academy ("GIPA" or "Academy"). The Academy offers programs on enforcement, patents, trademarks, copyrights. In 2007, USPTO completed construction of a permanent space for GIPA at the Alexandria, Virginia campus. The Academy's programs are designed to meet specific needs to foreign government officials. Through the programs officials are learning and discussing strategies on global intellectual property protection and enforcement.
In 2008, the Academy provided training to more than 4,100 officials from 127 countries on a variety of topics, including IP protection and enforcement, and technology transfer. The Academy also delivers IP training to other stakeholders, including small business owners, US Government officials, and the general public.
The Academy at USPTO is instrumental in achieving the objectives of halting intellectual property theft and advancing IPR policies.
