Professional development | MRIC Newsletter2026

Professional development
of MRIC staff

WIPO Regional Conference

Kigali, Rwanda, March 2026

The MRIC was represented by Ms. Yeshika Khuttur and Dr. Roubeena Jeetah-Rampadaruth at the regional conference “Pitch & Protect: Empowering Women in STEM through Intellectual Property Management Skills”, held from 17 to 19 March 2026 in Kigali, Rwanda.

Organised by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Funds-in-Trust Japan Industrial Property Global (FIT/Japan IP Global) through the Japan Patent Office, and the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), the conference brought together 43 women from 11 African countries, including Mauritius.

The three-day programme focused on strengthening the capacity of women researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs in STEM to strategically use intellectual property (IP) to protect, commercialise and scale their innovations. It also provided an opportunity to strengthen collaboration between research funding agencies, national IP offices and women-focused innovation ecosystems.

The programme featured expert lectures, high-level panel discussions, interactive workshops and mentoring clinics covering areas such as IP protection and commercialisation, mapping innovation and IP assets, IP management, funding and investment readiness, institutional linkages, and the development of regional networks of women innovators.

A key message emerging from the conference was the importance of considering IP from the early stages of the innovation process and recognising it as a strategic asset that can contribute to the protection, development and commercialisation of research and innovation. The conference also provided valuable opportunities for regional networking, knowledge exchange and institutional engagement, with discussions highlighting the importance of coordinated efforts among researchers, innovators, funding agencies, IP offices and other support institutions.

Seminar on Scientific Talent Cultivation for Developing Countries

China, May 2025

Three representatives from the MRIC namely Dr. Roubeena Jeetah-Rampadaruth, Dr. Nuhaa Soobhany and Ms. Nabiihah Khodabux participated in the “Seminar on Scientific Talent Cultivation for Developing Countries”, held from 15 to 28 May 2025 in Zhejiang Province, People’s Republic of China.

The seminar was organised by the College of Physics and Electronic Information Engineering, Zhejiang Normal University (ZJNU) and funded by the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China. Participants from eight countries—Mauritius, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Gambia, Armenia and Egypt—took part in the programme.

The seminar provided participants with an overview of China’s science, technology, innovation and socio-economic development, with lectures delivered by experts from academia and the private sector. Key areas covered included China’s scientific and technological development, smart manufacturing, industrial robotics, science and technology innovation mechanisms, the role of universities, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and science, technology and cultural exchanges.

Particular attention was given to Zhejiang’s innovation ecosystem, including the “315” Innovation Ecosystem and the development of the Zhejiang Innovation Corridor. The programme also provided insights into China’s approaches to science and technological innovation and the role of universities in supporting these developments.

As part of the programme, participants undertook institutional and industry visits across Jinhua, Shanghai and Jiaxing. These included visits to the Jinhua Science and Technology Museum, Zhejiang Institute of Photoelectronics, Zhangjiang Biomedicine Industrial Park, Huahang Weishi Robotics Co. Ltd, Xitang Ancient Town, Shangshan Archaeology Relics Park and Yiwu International Business and Trade City. The programme also incorporated cultural activities, allowing participants to experience aspects of Chinese culture through Tai Chi and Chinese calligraphy.

The seminar provided valuable exposure to China’s science, technology and innovation ecosystem, while facilitating regional and international networking among participants.

79th UTM PLC Leadership 6.0 bootcamp training

Mr Koushul Narrain and Ms Kirtika Sudhun participated in the 79th UTM Project Leadership Certification (PLC) 6.0 Bootcamp, held from 3 to 7 August 2026 at Ravenala Attitude Hotel, Balaclava. The training was organised by the University of Technology, Mauritius (UTM) in collaboration with Team SYNthesis.The five-day bootcamp aimed to strengthen participants’ leadership and project management skills, with a focus on developing effective Project Management Plans to successfully design, implement and manage projects while achieving better results. The intensive programme covered 10 key Project Management knowledge areas and five Leadership areas. It also included an Industry Guest Speaker Leadership Series, where international speakers shared their professional experiences and insights with participants. Throughout the bootcamp, participants were assessed under rigorous conditions through computer-based examinations, coursework, case studies, group activities and a final presentation, with a strong emphasis on practical learning. Upon successfully completing the programme, Mr Koushul Narrain obtained the PLC Regular certification and Ms Kirtika Sudhun obtained the PLC Associate certification.