Why this programme?
Globalisation, rapid technological development and new media have contributed to a flood of new information and technological innovation, opening up a host of legal questions about intellectual property, patent rights and industrial technology. The Advanced Master’s in Intellectual Property Law and Knowledge Management (IPKM) offers a unique curriculum at the interface of intellectual property law, technology and intellectual property management. It is a selective, small-scale programme for lawyers, technology transfer officers and graduates with a science or technical degree. You can follow the programme on a full-time or part-time basis, so you can combine studying with work.
What will you learn?
The IPKM programme combines core mandatory courses with opportunities for students in each degree track (LLM and MSc) to develop a more specialised professional profile. In the mandatory courses, you will learn the fundamentals of the law regarding knowledge valorisation and the protection of intellectual property. You will also receive in-depth instruction on the workings of the European and American systems of intellectual property protection and will cover the form and function of international organisations, such as:
- World Intellectual Property Organisation
- World Trade Organisation
- European Patent Office
- EU Intellectual Property Office
- Unified Patent Court
Students from both degree tracks will have the opportunity to further specialise and to incorporate electives into the curriculum before working on a master’s thesis under the close supervision of a research fellow from the Institute for Globalisation and International Regulation (IGIR).
IPKM blogs and more
Check out the IGIR Reporter for the latest news items, blogs and reports:
About the programme
Director of the programme, Professor Kamperman Sanders, explains why the International Property and Knowledge Management programme was established and what the main focus of the programme is.
Master Intellectual Property Law and Knowledge Management
LLM track
The LLM track is primarily for lawyers and technology transfer officers wishing to advance their international career in cross-border litigation practice, legal services and knowledge management involving all fields of IP law. You will focus on comparative litigation practice and on developing the skills needed to plead in front of national courts or the EPO Boards of Appeals in litigation proceedings. A specialised track in Entrepreneurship, IP Management and Valorisation is also offered for law and business graduates with an interest in technology-driven industries.
LLM skills training
You'll develop skills through participation in:
moot courts
litigation procedures before the EPO and the Unified Patent Court
comparative IP litigation: Germany, France, UK, Belgium & the Netherlands
research into IP sources
MSc track
The MSc track is for graduates with a scientific or technical qualification (e.g. in biology, chemistry, electronics, engineering, pharmacology or physics). You will focus on developing the professional skills needed to be a practising patent attorney as well as the skills needed to qualify as a European patent agent. The MSc is one of the few academic master’s programmes that enables qualifying participants to obtain a reduction of six months in the professional training period required for the European Qualifying Exam (EQE) of the European Patent Office.
MSc skills training
You'll be trained in professional skills like:
structuring and drafting patent claims
interpreting IP law
researching IP sources
mastering technical language
pleading before the EPO and UPC
In our education Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is central. It requires you to be proactive in setting learning goals and encourages you to work with your fellow students on legal issues. In this way, you build up the social skills you need for future legal practice. What do our students think about Problem-Based Learning? They explain it in this video!
Our students on Problem Based Learning - UK - interactive
International classroom
At Maastricht University, learning takes place in the International Classroom, a place where our differences become our strengths. From day one, you will be challenged with differing viewpoints and experiences as you interact with staff and students from all over the world. Your worldview will be enhanced by this interaction, bringing you closer to the programme’s goal of teaching students not only facts and concepts but also international accessibility and understanding. More than 50% of the students in the IPKM programme come from outside the Netherlands. Such diversity creates an international atmosphere that is strengthened by the international orientation of the programme.
Study abroad
You can gain specialised knowledge of an international legal system and develop your language skills by choosing to study abroad through one of our partner universities. You can also follow intensive modules offered abroad to gain exposure to American or Asian IP law and practice. Study trips to the EPO and modules on trademark and design law at the EUIPO are open to select students.
Integration with research
As an IPKM student, you will also take part in the activities of the Institute for Globalisation and International Regulation (IGIR), an interdisciplinary institute at UM’s Faculty of Law. IGIR research focuses on capacity building and consultancy in the field of international economic law.
Your master's thesis will be closely supervised by IGIR fellows, who will also provide guidance regarding internships and job opportunities. The IGIR also organises an Expert Lecture Series and Round Table Events at to keep you up to speed on the latest developments in economic law, intellectual property law and knowledge management.
Thesis topics
Students have written their thesis on topics like:
- the protection of trade secrets
- patent law & plant breeding
- the Apple v. Samsung disputes
- protection of Chinese trademarks
- technology transfer & climate change
Pan-European Seal Professional Traineeship Programme
The IPKM programme is a founding member of the Pan-European Seal Professional Traineeship Programme, which focuses on bridging the gap between academia and the IP labour market. It is led in partnership with two of the world’s largest IP offices – the Office for EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) in Alicante and the European Patent Office (EPO) in Munich – together with their strategic university partners. As an IPKM student, you will have access to free eLearning materials and teaching kits, as well as additional training activities and conferences. In addition, ten IPKM students will be selected each year for year-long, paid traineeships at the EUIPO and EPO.
For more info, visit the Pan-European Seal Professional Traineeship Programme website
Expert Lecture Series
The Expert Lecture Series and Round Table Events at the Maastricht University Faculty of Law help keep you up to speed on the latest developments in the field. They give you the chance to hear personal experiences from experts in the field and participate interactive sessions and lively panel debates on current issues.
IP training in Macau
The Institute for European Studies of Macau organises an annual programme on a wide range of topical issues in intellectual property law that attracts some of the best experts in the field. The programme, held in Macao, involves a five-day law school, an IP seminar and an IP professional update. As an IPKM student, you will get a discount of 50% off the cost of the programme.
More on IP training in Macau
EQE, innovative science & entrepreneurship training
The Faculty of Law offers a three-day specialised exam training to help prepare you for the European Qualifying Examination.
EQE exam training
The faculty also offers a course in IP in innovative science and IPR-intensive entrepreneurship.
EIPIN-IPKM honours programme
Every year, ten excellent IPKM students are selected to participate in an honours programme that involves:
- attending IPKM expert lecture events and reporting on these for the IPKM blog
- participating in European Intellectual Property Institutes Network (EIPIN) annual conferences
Participants will receive an honours certificate and two ECTS credits.
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