Mr. Soso Giorgadze Signed a Trilateral Memorandum on Launching of an International Master’s Program in Georgia at the Official Event Held in Switzerland

On the initiative and with the direct involvement of the National Intellectual Property Center of Georgia, a Trilateral Memorandum was signed in Geneva between the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Kutaisi International University (KIU) and Sakpatenti.

As part of the new International Master’s Program, Kutaisi International University will welcome the first cohort of Georgian and international students in the autumn of 2025.

The Trilateral Memorandum was signed by Mr. Soso Giorgadze, Chairman of Sakpatenti, Mr. Daren Tang, Director General of WIPO, and Mr. Giorgi Khubua, Rector of Kutaisi International University.

The International Master’s Program, titled “Intellectual Property, Innovation and Entrepreneurship” will officially launch in the upcoming academic year. This will be the first Master’s program in Business Administration focused on Intellectual Property and Innovation Management, which has no equivalent within the region. Graduates will be awarded a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in Intellectual Property and Innovation Management.

The joint International Master’s Program will be implemented under the WIPO Academy University Partnerships Program, which supports the introduction of Master’s programs in intellectual property in collaboration with prestigious universities worldwide. The KIU joint Master’s Program will be the 19th program of its kind globally. WIPO actively supports the program’s global promotion, facilitates the attraction of international students, and provides scholarships, all of which will significantly enhance the program’s visibility and accessibility.

It is noteworthy that the curriculum was developed with the participation of representatives of the Center for International Intellectual Property Studies (CEIPI) at the University of Strasbourg, the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), Sakpatenti and KIU. The one-year program will be delivered in English and will be led by internationally recognized foreign lecturers who will ensure advanced standards of teaching and share the latest trends in IP and Innovation with the students.

The Program is designed to train highly qualified specialists in the field of intellectual property at both the local and international levels. The Master’s program ensures training of qualified specialists in IP management, innovation management and entrepreneurship, which includes studying of both national and international legislative frameworks as well as business management strategies.

For Sakpatenti, as the national institution responsible for shaping intellectual property policy in Georgia, educational policy is one of the key priorities. This focus supports the sustainable development of the intellectual property sector and the growth of a qualified professional workforce. Sakpatenti has been cooperating fruitfully with WIPO in this direction for many years.

The need for the availability of intellectual property education at the graduate (Master’s) level was identified as early as 2015, within the Memorandum signed between the Government of Georgia and WIPO. To achieve this goal, active cooperation started in 2023 with Kutaisi International University, equipped with the relevant infrastructure and academic resources, which ensures successful implementation of an international program of this scale.

It should be emphasized that the Subject Benchmark Statement for Intellectual Property and Innovation Management has been developed alongside the curriculum of the Master’s program, with the active involvement of Sakpatenti and Kutaisi International University, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Education of Georgia. Accordingly, as of February 2025, “Intellectual Property and Innovation Management” has been officially added to the National Qualifications Framework under the field of Business and Administration Studies. This advancement enables students in Georgia to pursue specialized education in intellectual property, equipping them with the necessary expertise to become professionals in the field.

The implementation of the joint International Master’s Program will play a significant role in fostering the development of an innovative ecosystem in Georgia and will provide new professional development opportunities for Georgian youth.

The signing ceremony was attended by Ms. Nino Chikovani, Deputy Chairperson of Sakpatenti; H.E. Mr. Revaz Lominadze, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Georgia to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva; Mr. Hasan Kleib, Deputy Director General of WIPO; Ms. Beatriz Amorim-Borher, Senior Director of the Department for Development Cooperation; Mr. Habip Asan, Director of the Division for Transition and Developed Countries (TDC); Mr. Emil Hasanov, Senior Program Officer, Section for Central European and Baltic States and Mediterranean Countries, Division for Transition and Developed Countries (TDC); and Mr. Victor Owade, Counsellor, Academic Institutions and Executive Program,WIPO Academy.