For universities
Since 2015, the Pan-European Seal Programme has been a framework for strategic co-operation between Europe's leading IP offices - EPO and EUIPO - in partnership with over 160 European member universities today. The programme has established itself as a respected IP talent development initiative in Europe. It continues to attract an increasing number of bright university graduates with backgrounds in science and engineering, business administration, law, international relations and communication, economics and finance. Over 600 young Europeans have joined the EPO as candidates to-date, to learn about IP and benefit from extensive EPO IP knowledge and expertise.
The Pan-European Seal YPP at the EPO will likewise bridge the gap between academia and the labour market, with a focus on IP.
With the programme, the EPO aims to:
- promote a vibrant IP culture in Europe to foster knowledge and innovation-based growth.
- offer an attractive first employment opportunity for young professionals at the EPO;
- grow IP talents and support the development of IP knowledge and expertise across Europe;
- extend co-operation with university partners in IP education, IP awareness and IP use.
Our university co-operation is indispensable for the recruitment of the future EPO Young Professionals but of equal value and just as significant for the programme at the EPO is the continuous collaboration with our university partners in promoting IP awareness and IP education across Europe through a variety of IP education and outreach measures such as advanced lecture series in specific technology areas, a modular IP education framework, including teaching materials, case studies and inventors' stories, etc.
To date, the EPO has established partnerships with over 160 universities across 38 countries. The network of participating universities is further expanding as the EPO seeks to embrace co-operation with academic institutions across all its Member States , with particular emphasis on universities with a strong science and engineering offering and an outspoken interest in IP education.
