Launch Of The Joint Masters/LL.M. In IP Law And Management, Jointly Offered By NLU Delhi, WIPO And Office Of The Controller General Of Patents, Designs And Trade Marks, GOI
The National Law University Delhi (NLUD) has announced launch of the Joint Masters/LL.M. in Intellectual Property Law and Management which is being jointly offered by NLU Delhi, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) – a specialised agency of the United Nations and Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM – Indian IP Office), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India under the aegis of the WIPO India Action Plan, 2023.
The pioneering first edition of the Joint Masters/LL.M. showcases potential to transcend boundaries of conventional legal education by providing a comprehensive pathway to gaining expertise in the dynamic realm of Intellectual Property Law and Management. Prominently, the programme offers a dual track wherein the candidates from legal background will be enrolled in the Master of Law (LL.M. Degree) in Intellectual Property Law and Management and the candidates from non-legal background will be enrolled in Masters in Intellectual Property Law and Management (Masters of Arts- M.A. Degree).
The launch of the Joint Masters/LL.M. took place at the India International Centre, New Delhi on 21st March, 2024 and featured esteemed dignitaries.
In his inaugural address, Prof. (Dr.) G. S. Bajpai, Vice-Chancellor, NLU Delhi announced that “NLU Delhi along with the partnering organisations are now making it possible for aspiring students to build a career in IP by way of a specialized Masters/LL.M. Programme, which is global in its reach, cutting-edge in its content and path-breaking in its pedagogical approach.”
Justice Prathiba M. Singh, High Court of Delhi, esteemed Chief Guest of the occasion remarked in her address that “This is such a watershed moment in so far as IP education in India is concerned because it has always been such a requirement in the IP ecosystem to have specialised courses…….the manner in which the IP education should go forward in the country should be multidisciplinary……with the globalized nature of the faculty, I really think that this is the time when all our youngsters should be having enough opportunity to study in the best institutions and be taught by the best professionals and faculty. That's why this course will go a really long way in making IP education affordable in our country.”
Prof. (Dr.) Unnat P. Pandit, Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks, Government of India in his special address stated “A well-thought programme is now a reality and a need for the country..this is 'the' programme that is going to change IP teaching in the country as its multidisciplinary approach aligns with the National Education Policy, WIPO India Action Plan and the National IPR Policy.”
Dr. Pushpendra Rai, Former Director, WIPO and International IP Advisor in his special address stated “WIPO Academy's goal has been to prioritise IP education for everyone, everywhere and this programme will help to advance its mission by making IP higher education available and accessible to participants from India, region and the world.”
Dr. Yogesh Pai, Programme Director, WIPO-NLUD-IPO Joint Masters/LL.M., Associate Professor (Law), NLU Delhi emphasised that “Any candidate equipped with Joint Masters/LL.M. in IP Law and Management will be able to see a very different world with not only career opportunities in IP law through a LL.M. degree, but candidates from non-legal backgrounds will find themselves well-positioned to deal with IP careers in the real-world which often cross-cuts many areas of technology, business and entrepreneurship.”
The launch concluded with a panel discussion on “Reimaging IP teaching in India”.