The WIPO-U.S. Summer School on Intellectual Property is a two-week, online course that offers a practical overview of IP law in the United States of America and attracts students, young attorneys, industry professionals, and government officials from around the world.

Organizers:

The Summer School is co-organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)—the United Nations agency focused on IP law in international markets—and IPPI: The IP Policy Institute at The University of Akron School of Law, a Washington, D.C.-area-based academic organization and WIPO’s exclusive U.S. partner for the Summer School program.

Where and when:

This year’s program will be held online via MS Teams, weekdays only, from around 9:00-4:00 PM Eastern Daylight Saving Time (EDT), UTC-4.

Course content:

Through a series of lectures, simulation exercises, panels, and group discussions, this course is designed to cover all key areas of U.S. IP law (patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets) and their real-world applications. Participants will learn from guest instructors who work at top law schools, international organizations, the U.S. government, leading law firms, and major companies, as well as from current or former top officials at the U.S. Patent Office, the U.S. Copyright Office, and WIPO.

The 2026 agenda and speakers will be announced on IPPI’s WIPO webpage. View last year’s 2025 agenda to get a sense of the sessions offered and speakers featured.

Certificate and credit:

U.S. law students can receive 3 hours of academic credit from Akron Law! A WIPO certificate of completion is also awarded to those who meet the program’s participation requirements. Applicants may also opt to take the course for neither certificate nor credit and attend the sessions they are interested in.

Important dates:

• Last day to submit applications to WIPO: Monday, May 11, 2026
• Deadline for accepted applicants to submit payment to IPPI: Friday, May 22, 2026

Questions?

Email [email protected].