IP Osgoode Speaks: A Public Lecture by Dr. Tobias Schonwetter

Finding the Right Balance between Control and Access in a Developing Country Context – IP Law and Policy Making in Africa

Many IP laws in Africa are still a relic of the continent’s colonial past. As African countries seek to modernise and contextualise their IP frameworks and replace colonial-era statutes, they are confronted with the difficult task of reconciling tensions between control and access, and finding the appropriate balance between private and public interests. This lecture aims to highlight some of the key considerations for IP law and policymakers in Africa in their quest to ultimately maximise innovation and promote development.

Dr. Tobias Schonwetter is an Associate Professor at the University of Cape Town in South Africa where he directs the IP Unit and the iNtaka Centre for Law & Technology. Tobias regularly advises government entities in South Africa and serves on the Open Science Advisory Board for South Africa’s Department of Science and Innovation. He has also done work for the World Intellectual Property Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. He is a board member of UCT Press and an Associate Member of the Centre of Law, Technology and Society at the University of Ottawa. Over the years, Tobias has led numerous development and innovation oriented research and capacity building projects, most notably the Open African Innovation Research network (Open AIR). Previously, Tobias was a Senior Manager at PwC, a guest editor for the African Journal of Information and Communication and a Regional Coordinator for Creative Commons.