ARPET programme concludes in Harare, Zimbabwe

The final module of the Regional ARIPO Patent Examiner Training (ARPET) programme is underway in Harare and is set to conclude on 25 October. Thirty participants from eleven countries are due to complete the programme, which the European Patent Office (EPO) and the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) launched in 2021.

To mark this significant milestone, EPO President Antonio Campinos, ARIPO Director-General Bemanya Twebaze, the Deputy Ambassador of the European Union to Zimbabwe Lourdes Chamorro, and AfrIPI Project Leader Aida Galindo Ortiz participated in a hybrid opening ceremony on 16 October.

In his welcome address, Bemanya Twebaze thanked the EPO, AfrIPI, ARIPO member states and observer states for their unwavering support since the programme’s launch in 2021. He complimented those completing the training: "You are the torchbearers of our transition", said Mr Twebaze, emphasising that graduates would contribute to the "true equitable socioeconomic development of our continent driven by technology."

Joining online from Munich, President Campinos praised the organisers and participants and  stressed the sustainable impact of the training programme on the patent system and society: “Participants aren’t just being equipped to handle patent examinations. They are poised to become the guardians of innovation, responsible for high quality patents. Patents that foster growth and drive advancements in technology and give us a safer, smarter, more sustainable world.”

The event will conclude with a graduation ceremony on 25 October 2023.

About the ARPET programme

The ARPET programme aims to support national intellectual property offices in the region to build long term, sustainable capacity in search and examination, and thus boost local innovation ecosystems. It was designed to develop the skills and competencies of participating patent examiners, empowering them to deliver high-quality search and examination products of local patent applications, based on international and European best practices.  

The final leg of the training programme includes two modules:

• Advanced examination topics: Training was delivered online by EPO examiners with the onsite support and coaching from ARIPO examiners. The training is conducted using practical exercises and role play on advanced examination topics, including making the final decision as well as amendments pursuant to oral proceedings.
• Training on soft skills: To equip participants with the skills needed to become trainers themselves and train others in their respective intellectual property offices and other national/regional capacity-building initiatives. The course was developed by the European Patent Academy and delivered by EPO attachés.