Jagiellonian University Joint Master in Intellectual Property and New Technologies 2026: Complete Guide

Why Choose the Jagiellonian University IP Master

As artificial intelligence reshapes creative industries, as software patents become billion-dollar battlegrounds, and as data protection regulations transform how businesses operate globally, the intersection of intellectual property law and new technologies has never been more consequential — or more career-defining. The Joint Master’s Degree Programme in Intellectual Property and New Technologies (IPNT) at Jagiellonian University addresses this demand with a program that is genuinely unlike anything else available in European higher education.

Now in its 7th edition, the IPNT program is jointly organized by three powerful institutions: Jagiellonian University — one of Europe’s oldest universities, founded in 1364 — the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a specialized agency of the United Nations with 193 member states, and the Patent Office of the Republic of Poland. This triple partnership is unique globally and provides students with access to academic excellence, international policy-making, and practical patent administration in a single integrated program.

The program is taught entirely in English and combines distance learning flexibility with intensive residential study in Kraków, making it accessible to working professionals and recent graduates alike. With tuition starting at just €3,500 for EU students, it represents exceptional value compared to IP-focused programs at institutions like Queen Mary University of London or Munich’s Max Planck Institute, which charge significantly more for comparable specialization. For students exploring other European graduate programs, our guides to PSL University in Paris and University of Padova offer complementary perspectives on European master’s education.

The Triple Partnership: Jagiellonian, WIPO, and Polish Patent Office

The IPNT program’s institutional architecture is its most distinctive feature. Each of the three organizing partners contributes a dimension that the others cannot, creating a learning experience that transcends what any single institution could deliver.

Jagiellonian University of Kraków

Founded in 1364, Jagiellonian University is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Central Europe. Its Faculty of Law and Administration is ranked as the best law faculty in Poland by independent rankings, and the university is the only Polish and Eastern European institution listed in Reuters’ Top 100 Most Innovative Universities in Europe. With 16 faculties, over 80 study programs, and nearly 43,000 students including 4,000 international students from 90 countries, Jagiellonian provides the academic rigor and research infrastructure that anchors the program.

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

WIPO is the global forum for intellectual property policy, services, and cooperation. As a specialized UN agency serving 193 member states, WIPO brings unparalleled authority in international IP frameworks. The WIPO Academy — the organization’s educational arm — serves as a center of excellence for IP education, particularly focused on building capacity in developing and least-developed countries. WIPO’s involvement means students access official distance learning courses on patent, copyright, trademark, and design law, taught with the authority of the organization that shapes global IP standards.

Patent Office of the Republic of Poland

The Polish Patent Office provides the practical, administrative dimension that complements academic and international policy perspectives. As the state agency responsible for granting exclusive rights for industrial property in Poland, it offers students insight into the operational realities of patent examination, registration systems, and enforcement. The program includes a study visit to the Patent Office, connecting classroom theory directly to institutional practice.

This three-way partnership ensures graduates understand IP not just as abstract legal doctrine but as a living system shaped by academic scholarship, international policy, and national administration. It is this integrated perspective that makes IPNT graduates particularly valuable to employers navigating the complex global IP landscape.

Program Structure: Three Semesters Over 17 Months

The IPNT program runs across three semesters spanning approximately 17 months, from October to February of the following academic year. The structure is deliberately designed to accommodate working professionals through a progressive format that moves from remote learning to intensive on-campus study to supervised independent research.

Semester 1: Distance Learning Foundations

The first semester uses a state-of-the-art e-learning platform featuring online courses, video recordings, tests, quizzes, and assessment questions. This phase partially incorporates WIPO’s official distance learning courses on copyright, patent, trademark, and design — the same courses used to train IP professionals in WIPO’s 193 member states. Students also benefit from the program’s participation in the Modular IP Education Framework (MIPEF) powered by the European Patent Office (EPO), providing access to specialized EPO courses.

Semester 2: Intensive Residential Study in Kraków

The residential semester brings students to Jagiellonian University’s premises in Kraków for advanced, in-depth coursework on IP law in the context of new technologies. This is where the program’s interdisciplinary character comes alive — students explore how IP frameworks apply to artificial intelligence, blockchain, biotechnology, and digital platforms through face-to-face seminars with international faculty.

Semester 3: Research, Internship, and Thesis

The final semester focuses on independent research under faculty supervision, with master’s thesis seminars covering copyright, patent law, trademark and design law, and media law — all in relation to new technologies. Students complete an internship with partner law firms, gaining practical experience that complements their academic training. The thesis is the culmination of the program, demonstrating the student’s ability to conduct original research at the intersection of IP and technology.

Curriculum: IP Law Meets Cutting-Edge Technology

The IPNT curriculum goes far beyond traditional intellectual property law courses. While it builds a solid foundation in patent, copyright, and trademark law, the program’s distinctive value lies in its systematic exploration of how these frameworks apply — and often struggle — in the context of rapidly evolving technologies.

Foundation Courses (Semester 1 — Distance Learning)

• Patent Law: Fundamentals of patent systems, patentability criteria, and prosecution
• Copyright Law: Core principles of authorship, protection scope, and licensing
• Trademark Law and Allied Rights: Brand protection, registration, and enforcement
• Introduction to EU Law: European legal frameworks governing IP across member states

Advanced Courses (Semester 2 — Residential)

The residential semester features an impressive range of specialized courses that address the most pressing questions at the IP-technology frontier:

• New Technologies: Ethical, Social and Legal Perspectives — examining the broader societal implications of technological change
• New Technologies and Patents — how patent systems handle AI-generated inventions, software patents, and biotechnology
• Copyright in the Digital Age — streaming, user-generated content, platform liability, and creative AI
• Resolving IP and Technology Disputes through Mediation and Arbitration — alternative dispute resolution mechanisms
• Privacy and Personal Rights on the Internet — data protection, GDPR, and digital identity
• Internet Service Providers Liability — platform responsibility for user content and IP infringement
• Protection and Licensing of Software, Databases and Computer Games — the commercial heart of tech IP
• Jurisdiction and Choice of Law on the Internet — navigating multi-jurisdictional digital disputes
• Future Law for Next Technologies — forward-looking analysis of emerging regulatory challenges
• Patents, Pharmaceuticals and Human Rights — the tension between IP protection and access to medicine
• Protection and Access to Non-Personal Data — data governance beyond personal data

The curriculum takes a comparative approach, examining IP regulations across jurisdictions with EU law as the prevailing framework for Europe. This comparative perspective is essential for professionals working in global technology markets where IP strategies must navigate multiple legal systems simultaneously.

International Faculty and Teaching Excellence

The IPNT program assembles an international faculty drawn from leading universities and institutions across Europe and the Americas, supplemented by WIPO experts who bring the policy-making perspective directly into the classroom.

Faculty from previous editions include scholars from some of the world’s top IP law programs:

• Professor Ansgar Ohly — Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Germany
• Professor Duncan Matthews — Queen Mary School of Law, University of London, UK
• Professor Aurelio Lopez-Tarruella — University of Alicante, Spain
• Professor Martin Senftleben — University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Professor Irene Calboli — Texas A&M University School of Law, USA
• Professor María de Lourdes Vázquez — University of San Andrés, Argentina
• Professor Christophe Geiger — Luiss Guido Carli University, Italy

The program is coordinated by Dr hab. Justyna Ożegalska-Trybalska, Prof. UJ (Director) and Dr Dariusz Kasprzycki (Deputy Director) at Jagiellonian University, with Mr. Victor Owade, Counsellor at WIPO Academy, representing the international organization. This combination of academic heavyweights and international policy experts ensures that students receive teaching that is both intellectually rigorous and practically relevant to the global IP profession.

Career Outcomes and Professional Opportunities

Graduates of the IPNT program emerge with a highly specialized and increasingly valuable skill set that positions them for careers at the intersection of law and technology — one of the fastest-growing professional domains globally.

The program prepares graduates for roles at:

• International, regional, and domestic corporations active in new technologies — as in-house IP counsel or technology licensing specialists
• IP-focused institutions — patent offices, IP regulatory bodies, and international organizations
• Non-governmental organizations — advocacy groups working on access to knowledge, digital rights, and technology policy
• Law firms — particularly those specializing in technology, patent litigation, and digital media
• Entrepreneurial ventures — founders and advisors who need to protect and commercialize IP assets

Law Firm Partnerships and Internships

Three leading law firms are formal partners of the program, providing internship placements, practical workshops, and partial scholarships for outstanding students:

• Linklaters — one of the world’s largest international law firms, a “Magic Circle” member
• Maruta Wachta — a leading Polish technology and IP law firm
• Kondrat i Partnerzy — specialists in pharmaceutical and IP law

The demand for professionals who understand both the legal and technological dimensions of intellectual property continues to grow as companies face increasingly complex IP challenges related to AI, data, and digital platforms. The IPNT program’s graduates carry a distinctive credential — trained by the very institution (WIPO) that shapes global IP policy — that resonates powerfully with employers in this space. Students exploring career-focused programs may also want to review NYU Stern at NYUAD for a different approach to international professional education.

Admission Requirements and Application Process

The IPNT program maintains selective but inclusive admissions, welcoming both law graduates and professionals from other disciplines who have a genuine interest in intellectual property and technology.

Entry Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree minimum from a recognized university
• English fluency (assessed through an interview — no standardized test score required)
• First priority: Candidates with a master’s or bachelor’s degree in law
• Second priority: Candidates with degrees in economics, business administration, or related fields

The program is explicitly open to undergraduate and graduate students as well as working professionals from both public and private sectors. This interdisciplinary openness reflects the reality that IP and technology issues affect professionals across many domains — not just lawyers.

Application Process

Applicants must complete a dual application:

1. Jagiellonian University application system — for program admission (via the university admissions portal)
2. WIPO Academy system — for scholarship consideration (via the WIPO Academy catalogue)

Registration is typically open from February through August, with the program commencing in October. Given the program’s growing reputation — now in its 7th edition — early application is recommended to secure a place and maximize scholarship eligibility.

Tuition Fees, Scholarships, and Financial Planning

One of the IPNT program’s most compelling features is its affordability relative to the quality and international recognition it delivers.

Tuition Fees

What Tuition Covers

• Full tuition for all three semesters
• Training materials and course resources
• Access to training facilities and support services
• Social events during the residential period
• Study visit to the Patent Office of the Republic of Poland

Personal expenses during the residential phase in Kraków — including accommodation and living costs — are not included. However, Kraków is one of the most affordable cities in the European Union for students, with monthly living costs typically ranging from €500–€800, significantly below London, Paris, or Munich.

Scholarships

Financial support is available through two channels: WIPO Academy scholarships (applied for through the WIPO application system) and partial scholarships funded by program stakeholders including the partner law firms, awarded to the most outstanding students. These scholarships recognize academic excellence and professional potential, making the program even more accessible for qualified candidates. For students comparing value across international programs, this pricing puts the IPNT among the most affordable specialized masters in Europe — particularly compared to programs at UC Berkeley or Deakin College where international fees are substantially higher.

Studying in Kraków: Location and Student Experience

Kraków is not merely the program’s location — it is an integral part of the experience. The Historic Centre of Kraków is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and the city is consistently ranked as one of the most culturally inspiring and student-friendly cities in Poland and across Central Europe.

With a large student population, vibrant cultural scene, and remarkably affordable cost of living, Kraków offers an ideal environment for intensive graduate study. The city combines medieval architecture with a thriving tech startup ecosystem, providing a fitting backdrop for a program that bridges centuries-old legal traditions with cutting-edge technology questions.

Jagiellonian University’s Intellectual Property Law Chair is located at Józefa 19 street in the heart of Kraków’s historic Kazimierz district. The residential semester provides students with access to the university’s full range of facilities, libraries, and research resources — backed by an institution that has been educating students continuously for over 660 years.

The program also offers a rich social dimension during the residential phase. Social events organized as part of the program, combined with Kraków’s renowned café culture, historic landmarks, and active nightlife, create opportunities for the kind of informal networking that often proves as valuable as formal instruction. The international cohort — drawn from both recent graduates and experienced professionals — ensures diverse perspectives in every classroom discussion and study group.

How This IP Master Compares to Other Programs

The IPNT program occupies a distinctive niche in the landscape of intellectual property and technology law education. When comparing it with other prominent IP-focused master’s programs, several factors consistently emerge as differentiators.

The most obvious distinction is the triple partnership structure. No other IP master’s program brings together a leading university, a UN specialized agency, and a national patent office in a single integrated offering. Programs at Queen Mary University of London, the Munich Intellectual Property Law Center (MIPLC), or the University of Strasbourg’s CEIPI offer excellent IP education, but from a single institutional perspective. The IPNT uniquely combines academic, international policy, and administrative viewpoints.

The cost advantage is dramatic. At €3,500 for EU students and €7,000 for international students, the IPNT costs a fraction of comparable programs. The MIPLC in Munich charges approximately €30,000; Queen Mary’s LLM in IP is approximately £15,000 for EU and substantially more for international students; US-based IP programs often exceed $50,000. Even accounting for Kraków living costs, the total investment for an IPNT degree is significantly lower.

The blended learning format — combining distance learning with residential study and supervised research — provides flexibility that fully residential programs cannot match. Working professionals can maintain employment during the first and third semesters, making the program accessible without career interruption. This practical design reflects WIPO Academy’s experience in delivering IP education to professionals across its 193 member states.

The technology focus within the curriculum is more extensive than many competing programs. While traditional IP masters concentrate on patent, copyright, and trademark law, the IPNT dedicates substantial coursework to AI, software licensing, internet jurisdiction, data protection, ISP liability, digital content, and “future law for next technologies.” This forward-looking orientation prepares graduates for the IP challenges of tomorrow, not just today.

Finally, the program’s established track record — now in its 7th edition — provides confidence in its quality and outcomes. Each edition has refined the curriculum based on student feedback, employer needs, and technological developments, creating a mature program that delivers consistently.