News

The IPR Center Report

Partners in Action

Volume 2, No. 2 • June 2009

Global Intellectual Property Academy

In 2006, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) created the Global Intellectual Property Academy (GIPA or Academy) in order to dedicate a substantial portion of USPTO technical assistance and training efforts to the enforcement of intellectual property rights. The GIPA space includes a 20,000 square-foot training facility at the USPTO headquarters that consists of training rooms, meeting spaces, an internet café and translation facilities where the USPTO can more efficiently deliver targeted training to foreign intellectual property (IP) officials. GIPA employs a variety of training methods: lectures, panel discussions, group problemsolving exercises, role-playing exercises and field tours to courts, ports and businesses.

The Academy offers capacity building programs in the United States and around the world on IP protection, enforcement and capitalization. These programs are designed to meet the specific needs of foreign government officials and are offered to patent, trademark and copyright officials, judges, prosecutors, police, customs officials, foreign policy makers, examiners and rights holders. Both multilateral programs and country specific programs are offered. Specialized programs are developed to address specific legal issues, administrative issues and specific IP areas.

The Academy at USPTO is instrumental in pursuing the objectives of halting IP theft and advancing IP policies, as well as providing information related to economic growth. Through these programs, officials are able to develop an understanding of international IP obligations and norms. The participants are exposed to the United States model of protecting and enforcing IP rights while discussing IP issues in a learning environment.

The GIPA programs are key to accomplishing global awareness and fostering positive change in developing countries. The programs present the U.S. methods for protecting the IP rights of business owners, what is needed to comply with international IP-related treaty stipulations that protect the IP rights of business owners, and administer patent and trademark examining operations.

Another aim of these programs is to provide our trading partners with tools related to IP policy and protection to aid in the growth of their economies. In delivering capacity building programs, the Academy works closely with other United States government agencies (such as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection), trading partners and international organizations.

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.

Looking toward the future, GIPA is incorporating alternative modes of training delivery, utilizing all available and feasible technologies in the delivery of training and technical assistance. Consequently, GIPA is expanding the use of online training modules, optical media products,Web cameras and video teleconferencing.