Intellectual property and innovation: the European Patent Office training programme at the University of Insubria

An international training programme focusing on intellectual property, patents and innovation valorisation, aimed at students in the final year of bachelor’s degree programmes, master’s degree students and PhD candidates at the University of Insubria.

It is the Modular IP Education Framework – MIPEF, an advanced training programme promoted by the European Patent Office (EPO) under the title “Create – Protect – Innovate: Bringing ideas to market”.

The initiative, developed by the EPO with the contribution of leading European intellectual property experts, aims to provide participants with up-to-date knowledge of the strategic role of patents and innovation protection tools, guiding them through the entire process that takes an idea from protection to market valorisation.

The programme, offered free of charge to selected universities, covers all the main stages in the life cycle of a patent: from filing and grant procedures to legal protection, from technology transfer and the development of intellectual property strategies to the commercialisation of technologies and innovative ideas.

Alongside the Entry and Advanced courses, from the 2026/2027 academic year a new IP Management course will also be available, designed in particular for students in economics and law. The programme will explore topics including the development of intellectual property strategies, the commercialisation and use of IP rights, partnerships and technology transfer, as well as the management and valuation of patent portfolios.

The Entry course provides an introduction to intellectual property and the fundamentals of patents, with modules dedicated to patent information and the development of an IP strategy. The Advanced course, meanwhile, focuses on patent grant and enforcement procedures, technology scouting and assessment, intellectual property commercialisation and the use of IP rights.

The aim is to provide participants with a practical understanding of the tools through which intellectual property can contribute to technological development, business competitiveness and the valorisation of research results, turning innovation and knowledge into opportunities for growth.

At the end of the programme, participants who successfully complete the required assessments will receive a certificate issued by the European Patent Office and an Open Badge awarded by the University of Insubria.

For the 2026/2027 academic year, two editions are scheduled, both delivered entirely online. The autumn session will run from 16 October 2026 to 31 January 2027; the official registration period is from 21 September to 14 October. To take part through the University of Insubria, applicants must submit their application by 13 October 2026 by completing the dedicated form. Selected applicants will then receive the credentials needed to access the European Patent Academy’s e-learning platform and complete their registration.

The spring session will run from 19 March until the end of June 2027, with registration open from 22 February to 17 March 2027. Applications for this second edition will open in February.

Full information on eligibility requirements and participation procedures is available on the official EPO Modular IP Education Framework page and on the dedicated page on the University of Insubria website.

For further information, please contact the Knowledge Valorisation Office at progetti@uninsubria.it.