Phenyo Mokgothu
The Technology Transfer & Innovation Support (TTIS) Office at the North-West University (NWU) will be hosting events at all three NWU campuses to celebrate World Intellectual Property (IP) Day this year.
These events will be hosted on 20 April at the Mahikeng Campus, 21 April at the Vanderbijlpark Campus, and 12 May at the Potchefstroom Campus.
World IP Day is celebrated annually across the globe on 26 April under the auspices of the World Intellectual Property Organisation. The theme of World IP Day 2022 is “IP and Youth: Innovating for a Better Future”.
Speakers at the three NWU events include academics, IP lawyers, and technology transfer specialists.
The following people will lead the Mahikeng event:
Dr Hugo van Schalkwyk: He has significant industry experience as an entrepreneur, and is a senior lecturer in marketing and entrepreneurship at the NWU.
Thapelo Montong: He is an experienced patent attorney and specialises in extractive and physical metallurgy and chemical and materials engineering. Thapelo is currently a senior associate at Adams & Adams, a leading South African IP law firm.
Ketlareng (KT) Polori: She is a senior specialist in commercialisation at the NWU TTIS office and will be the programme director for the event.
The following people will lead the Vanderbijlpark event:
Kobus du Raan: He is an associate in Kisch-IP’s patent department and holds an electrical engineering and a law degree from the University of Pretoria. Kobus is an admitted attorney of the High Court as well as a registered patent attorney.
Jessica Jayde: She is an admitted attorney of the High Court and is experienced in intellectual property, commercial and criminal litigation, commercial drafting and family and matrimonial law. Jessica is currently employed at Kisch-IP, a specialist intellectual property law firm.
The following people will lead the Potchefstroom event:
Chyreene Truluck: She is a patent attorney specialising in domestic and international patent prosecution, particularly in the field of biotechnology and life sciences. Chyreene also has experience in commercial IP and plant breeders’ rights matters.
Johann Landsberg: He is the manager of the NWU’s Enterprise Development Centre.
According to Ketlareng, the aim of these events is to create awareness among students of the value of and possibilities derived from intellectual property.
“World IP Day is about the role of intellectual property rights in encouraging innovation and creativity. Our events will shine a light on how young innovators and entrepreneurs can use intellectual property rights to generate income and create jobs,” she adds.
The events will include fun-filled activities such as a business elevator pitch group competition and a quiz video game. There will also be lucky draws and cash prizes to be won. Students must register online to attend and to participate in the elevator pitch competition.
The ever-popular Leopards Lair Entrepreneurship student competition will also be launched during the campus events.
Kisch IP, Adams & Adams, Spoor & Fisher, and Vodacom are sponsoring the 2022 World IP Day festivities at the NWU.
