The KDI School Intellectual Property Forum is dedicated to promoting, mentoring, networking, and researching contemporary issues and policy development. The forum organized a special seminar in October 2023, themed “Intellectual Property and Sustainable Development.” The event featured Professor Jay Erstling (Mitchell Hamline School of Law, US) as the keynote speaker. Attendees included students from the Masters of Intellectual Property Development (MIPD) program, students from other masters and Ph.D. programs, faculty members, and interested participants in the field of intellectual property (IP).

The seminar focused on the role intellectual property plays in promoting sustainable development. Intellectual property is crucial in the protection, management, commercialization, and utilization of technologies and innovations, ensuring their sustainable development.

Professor Jay Erstling introduced participants to how Intellectual Property responds to development challenges and how IP can contribute to sustainable development. This encompasses protection for geographical indications, traditional knowledge, genetic resources, traditional cultural expressions, and exceptions for farmers' privileges and breeders' exceptions.

The seminar provided valuable insights to the participants, who shared their thoughts on the event. Abdul Abubakar Argungu, MIPD 2023, stated, "In my opinion, the seminar directly relates to and aligns well with the KDI School curriculum. At KDI School, we learn how to design, develop, and implement policies, including those that facilitate technology development. The seminar offered students insights into the role IP can play in promoting sustainable development."

Regarding what they gained from attending the seminar, Abdul Abubakar said, "I gained a lot. I learned about the historical evolution of intellectual property and sustainable development. I also learned about the roles of the United Nations (UN), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and the World Trade Organization (WTO) and how these organizations can further promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) using IP as a catalyst."

The seminar concluded with open discussions with the guest speaker and feedback from participants on the presentation. Richie Enechilo (MPM, 2023), a seasoned mental health specialist, hinted at the comparative understanding of IP rights and education in Korea and his home country. With this new knowledge, he strongly believes that better IP management can be beneficial for affordable medical supplies and innovation for the delivery of public health in the Philippines.

This seminar demonstrates KDI School's support for students by providing special lectures to enhance their knowledge of IP and broaden their perspectives on future IP policies, such as addressing how IP responds to development challenges and how it can contribute to sustainable development. In essence, this seminar inspires ideas that can be further pursued to build more beneficial IP for society in the future.