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  • 2/10/2021
  • Reading time 3 min.

EPO, EUIPO and Technical University of Munich join forces to support graduates’ IP competence

Professional traineeships at EPO for TUM graduates

Graduates from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) will be able to gain valuable professional experience as trainees at the European Patent Office (EPO) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). The Offices and the TUM agreed on a Memorandum of Understanding to that effect.

TUM president Thomas F. Hofmann at the virtual signing ceremony Astrid Eckert / TUM
TUM president Thomas F. Hofmann at the virtual signing ceremony

Signed by EPO President António Campinos, EUIPO Executive Director Christian Archambeau and TUM President Thomas F. Hofmann, this agreement paves the way for TUM graduates to participate in the Pan-European Seal Professional Traineeship Programme, a vibrant network of over 80 academic institutions across Europe with a pronounced interest in intellectual property (IP) such as patents, registered designs and trademarks.

“The EPO is honoured to have this opportunity to support young people in Munich. In these challenging times, and in light of the crucial role played by IP in Europe’s economy, it is more important than ever to create prospects for local graduates and invest in the IP minds of tomorrow so that they can act as ambassadors for IP and the benefits it brings,” said EPO President António Campinos. “As a public institution with long-standing ties to Munich, this agreement will enable the EPO to work with the TUM and utilise its resources to generate benefits for local citizens and society as a whole”.

Thomas F. Hofmann, TUM President said: “We firmly believe that close cooperation among the stakeholders in the IP community will lead to mutual benefits and ultimately to the benefit of society through the commercialization of technologies, which in turn leads to the development of innovative products and solutions to technical problems, generates revenue, and creates jobs. Supported by its entrepreneurial mind-set, TUM has substantially increased the numbers of applications for European patents in recent years.”

Part of Munich’s innovation ecosystem

Under the MoU, eligible TUM graduates will be able to apply for paid, one-year professional traineeships at the EPO already this year. As part of the Programme, they will experience work in a collaborative, multicultural environment, undertake challenging assignments, and have an opportunity to build their professional networks.

The Programme is a key element of the EPO’s efforts to enhance its ties with local institutions. The EPO, together with TUM and other local institutions and industry, forms a part of Munich’s innovation ecosystem, and the EPO is committed to expanding its role by sharing its technical knowledge and expertise with the local community. The trainee programme with TUM forms an important element in this approach.

With 6 600 staff, the European Patent Office (EPO) is one of the largest public service institutions in Europe. Headquartered in Munich with offices in Berlin, Brussels, The Hague and Vienna, the EPO was founded with the aim of strengthening co-operation on patents in Europe. Through the EPO's centralised patent granting procedure, inventors are able to obtain high-quality patent protection in up to 44 countries, covering a market of some 700 million people. The EPO is also the world's leading authority in patent information and patent searching.

 

 

Further information and links

TUM students interested in the program, please write an email to TUM ForTe: paneuropean.seal@tum.de

Technical University of Munich

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