ATTENDANCE TO WIPO COURSES

Course offered by WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization)

I would like to let everyone know about the opportunity to obtain training certifications through WIPO’s online courses.

I am talking about PCT patents. In 2025, I took part in a course offered by WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization), a specialized agency of the United Nations whose aim is to promote the use and protection of intellectual property globally.

The WIPO patent system does not grant a “world patent” (which does not exist), but provides international tools to simplify the protection of inventions in multiple countries. The two main pillars are:

1. Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT): This is the most important service. It allows a single international patent application to be filed that has the same effect as a national filing in all the contracting states designated by the applicant (currently more than 150).

2. The PCT process flow, which is divided into two phases:

International Phase: Includes an international search and a written opinion on patentability.
National Phase: After approximately 30 months from the earliest filing date, the application “enters” the national phase in each of the chosen states, where the national authorities will grant (or not grant) the patent.

The course I enrolled in and obtained certification for is offered by the WIPO Academy.

Course Title: General Course on Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) / General Course on the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).

Description:

This online course provides in-depth knowledge of the PCT system and its procedure. It is designed for intellectual property professionals, attorneys, employees of national patent offices, and inventors who wish to understand how to use the PCT to protect inventions internationally.

Typical Course Contents:

– Overview and advantages of the PCT system.

– Who may file a PCT application and where.

– Formal requirements of the international application.

– International phase procedure (search, publication, search report).

– The demand for international preliminary examination (PCT Chapter II).

– Entry into the national phase.

Official Website of the WIPO Academy:

https://www.wipo.int/en/web/wipo-academy

Tip: WIPO offers this course several times a year. I recommend checking their website frequently or subscribing to their newsletter to stay updated on upcoming available sessions.