Intellectual Property (IP) is pivotal for turning research into solutions with real impact on society. At Técnico, the Intellectual Property Unit of the Technology Transfer Office promotes the Modular IP Education Framework (MIPEF) from the European Patent Office (EPO) to support the whole community, but especially Master’s and Doctoral students, in recognising, protecting, and creating value from research results.. MIPEF combines flexible learning with real-world case studies and expert guidance, linking invention protection to market strategy and collaboration pathways. On this page you’ll find the overview, contents and schedule.

What is MIPEF?

Modular IP Education Framework (MIPEF)  is a training pathway developed by the European Patent Office (EPO) that introduces, in a hands-on way, the fundamentals of IP and its role in transforming ideas into impact. At Técnico, MIPEF aligns with the mission of the Intellectual Property Unit of the Technology Transfer Office to support protection, valorisation and knowledge transfer.

Create – Protect – Innovate: Bringing ideas to market (Entry Level) — starts 17 October

Applications are open

• Target audience: the whole community, with a special focus on Master’s and PhD students across all scientific fields.
• Structure: 5 modules per level, self-paced.
• Methodology: videos, podcasts and interactive elements; real cases (including European Inventor Award finalists and winners); tutoring and live expert sessions; a final exam assessed by IP specialists.
• Certification: completion with an EPO certificate (upon passing the final exam).
• More information: see the official EPO page.

Successful completion of this course will be considered by the Técnico’s IP Office (NPI) and Career Center as a valuable element in the application to the Pan-European Seal Traineeship Programme.

What you will learn

• Identify IP assets and protect inventions strategically.
• Understand patents across the R&D cycle, from lab to market.
• Integrate IP rights into business strategies and partnerships.
• Learn from case studies and apply best practices in protection and valorisation.

Who can apply

All Técnico students, academic staff and technical staff are eligible, from all Schools/Departments and all cycles, with a focus on Master’s and PhD levels.

How to get access (via Técnico’s IP Unit)

1. 1. Complete the interest and credentials request form (managed by the IP Unit): https://ist.pt/MIPEFEntryLevel
2. 2. After validation, you’ll receive access and register on the EPO platform: https://ist.pt/Registration-MIPEFEntryLevel
3. 3. Start the Entry Level and progress at your own pace. (The Advanced level becomes available after you complete the Entry level.)

Career Center Participation Certificate

Upon successful completion of this activity, the Career Center can issue a participation certificate that may be used when requesting credit for extracurricular activities.
To request the certificate after finishing the course, please email careercenter@tecnico.ulisboa.pt with: full name; IST ID; and proof of completion.

The training takes place exclusively on the EPO platform.
Técnico, through the IP Unit, only validates requests and issues access credentials.

Schedule

The dates below are indicative and may be adjusted by the EPO. Always confirm the schedule at the time of registration.

Autumn 2025 — Entry Level

• Applications: 29 Sep — 16 Oct 2025
• Course room opens: 17 Oct 2025
• Online Masterclass 1: 27 or 29 Oct 2025
• Online Masterclass 2: 10 or 12 Nov 2025
• Online Masterclass 3: 24 or 26 Nov 2025
• Online Masterclass 4: 1 or 3 Dec 2025
• Final exam released: 15 Dec 2025
• Submission deadline: 21 Dec 2025
• Results: 12 Jan 2026
• Course closes: 31 Jan 2026

Important information

• Students will access the course through the European Patent Academy e-learning centre.
• Students can opt for one of two dates for each live session.
• Live sessions: 16:00–17:30 (CET).
• The course ends on the last day on which students can download the EPO certificate.

Useful documents

• Website MIPEF
• Overview Skills MIPEF
• Presentation & Description — Part I (Entry)
• Syllabus — Part I (Entry)
• Presentation & Description — Part II (Advanced)
• Syllabus — Part II (Advanced)

More informations pi@tecnico.ulisboa.pt

 

Técnico is part of the Pan-European Seal network, coordinated by Europe’s leading IP organisations — the European Patent Office (EPO) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).