Overview:
Uganda will host a major regional seminar in May 2025 on STEM, innovation, and intellectual property education, aiming to empower young African innovators for a better future.
Uganda is set to host a significant regional seminar focused on integrating innovation and intellectual property (IP) into education, aiming to foster a new generation of African innovators.
The event, organised by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), will take place at the Protea Hotel in Kampala from May 28th to 30th, 2025.
It’s part of WIPO’s global “Empowering Youth to Innovate for a Better Future” initiative, a three-year project launched in 2023. Uganda was chosen alongside Chile, Jordan, and Malaysia for its commitment to developing inclusive innovation ecosystems through education.
The seminar will gather educators and IP experts from Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique, Botswana, and Ghana. They’ll be joined by science teachers, curriculum developers and education professionals from across Uganda, with a particular focus on the Kampala Metropolitan area.
The training will equip educators with practical tools to weave IP concepts into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) learning. The goal is to help students connect scientific knowledge with entrepreneurial thinking and real-world innovation. Global facilitators will lead hands-on sessions and present case studies demonstrating how IP can link classroom learning with marketable ideas.
The core vision is to cultivate a new generation of creators who understand not only how to invent, but also how to protect and commercialise their ideas. This interdisciplinary approach aims to boost critical thinking, creativity and prepare students for a knowledge-driven economy. Introducing IP education early on empowers learners to turn innovative ideas into tangible, protected solutions that contribute to social and economic development.
A group of national partners is coordinating the initiative, including the Ministry of Education and Sports, the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, the Uganda Professional Science Teachers’ Union (UPSTU), and the Science, Technology and Innovation Secretariat under the Office of the President. This collaboration ensures the programme aligns with Uganda’s national development and education priorities.