The Representative of the World Intellectual Property Organization Visits Georgia on an Official Mission

Mr. Victor Owade, Counsellor for Academic Institutions and Executive Programs at the World Intellectual Property (WIPO) Academy, on an official visit to Georgia, visited Kutaisi International University (KIU) together with Mr. Soso Giorgadze, Chairman of Sakpatenti. During the meeting with Mr. Vakhtang Tsagareli, Acting Rector of the University, the parties discussed the progress of the joint Master’s Program “Intellectual Property, Innovation and Entrepreneurship” and strategies for its further development.

During the visit, the first meeting of the Steering Committee of the Joint Master’s Program was held, with the participation of representatives from Sakpatenti, WIPO, and KIU. The Committee discussed important issues, including: organization of the educational process, mechanisms for supporting students, procedures for admission and selection of international students, the 2026–2027 curriculum, methodology, scholarship-related matters, marketing strategies, various student services, and the contributions of partner organizations to supporting the Program. The Committee serves as the main body responsible for the operational and strategic management of the Program.

Mr. Victor Owade and Sakpatenti representatives also toured the educational and residential campuses of Kutaisi International University, familiarizing themselves with the University’s future infrastructural capabilities and the existing educational environment for implementing the Program. In addition, they met with students of the joint Master’s Program, who were attending lectures scheduled as part of the Program. The lectures were delivered by international lecturers invited by WIPO from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, EPFL): Professor Dominique Foray and Assistant Professor Gaétan de Rassenfosse.

It is noteworthy that the Master’s Program “Intellectual Property, Innovation and Entrepreneurship” was launched in September 2025 on the basis of a trilateral Memorandum signed earlier in February 2025 in Geneva between WIPO, KIU, and Sakpatenti. This international Master’s Program is the first of its kind in the region. The curriculum, delivered in collaboration with Georgian colleagues, is led by highly qualified foreign professors selected by the WIPO Academy. Graduates of the Program will be awarded a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Intellectual Property and Innovation Management.

Successful implementation of the joint international Master’s Program will significantly contribute to positioning Georgia as a regional educational and research hub, strengthen international academic and institutional partnerships, and offer Georgian youth new opportunities for professional development.