Course in Ethics in Dual-Use Patents
Online 300-hour course in ethics in dual-use patents. 6 modules covering Law 24/2015 on Patents (secret patents of interest to national defence), Regulation (EU) 2021/821 (control of dual-use products) and Espacenet. Tutor assigned and enrolment open.
Course in Ethics in Dual-Use Patents — studying from South Africa
South Africa has a established defence industry centred on companies such as Denel and Paramount Group, with capabilities in land systems, armoured vehicles and munitions. The sector supports engineering roles in systems integration, vehicle design and test and evaluation. Defence procurement and export controls are overseen by government bodies, and the industry works closely with the South African National Defence Force. Engineers in this field typically combine mechanical, electrical and systems skills.
Fees for South Africa: R 8 340 (South African rand), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in South Africa
Typical roles
Questions from South Africa
Which South African bodies regulate or recognise defence and military engineering professionals?
Engineers in South Africa are registered through ECSA under the Engineering Profession Act, and defence programmes are guided by institutions such as the South African National Defence Force and Armscor, which set their own requirements. SEIUM is a private online institute, and its qualifications are not state degrees or accredited by a national body. Recognition is decided by these bodies and your employer, so confirm with them first.
Would this qualification help me find work in South Africa's defence or land systems sector?
South Africa has a defence industry with state-linked entities and private contractors, and employers usually require security clearances, relevant experience and recognised qualifications. A private online programme may support your application but does not guarantee employment or clearance. Check requirements with prospective employers, as roles in this sector can be sensitive and tightly controlled.
Can I study alongside a job, and are there funding options?
The course is 100% online and taught in English, so you need strong English, and no student visa is needed to study from home. Master's programmes are 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours, each with an assigned technical tutor. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible, so ask whether your employer would fund part of the training.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Understand the concept of dual-use technology and its relationship with the patent system.
Analyse the regime for secret patents on grounds of national defence.
Classify an invention in accordance with the annexes to Regulation (EU) 2021/821.
Relate export control obligations to the publication of patents.
Evaluate ethical dilemmas between scientific openness, economic benefit and security.
Design an institutional procedure for reviewing inventions with dual-use potential.
Draft a governance plan for dual-use patents for a university or company.
Who it's for
- Industrial property agent who wants to specialise in Ethics in Dual-Use Patents.
- Technology transfer manager who wants to specialise in Ethics in Dual-Use Patents.
- Export control technician who wants to specialise in Ethics in Dual-Use Patents.
- Technology watch analyst who wants to specialise in Ethics in Dual-Use Patents.
- Dual-use compliance adviser who wants to specialise in Ethics in Dual-Use Patents.
- Innovation manager at a technology centre who wants to specialise in Ethics in Dual-Use Patents.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to join research results transfer offices.
What you'll work with
- Law 24/2015 on Patents (secret patents of interest to national defence)
- Regulation (EU) 2021/821 (control of dual-use products)
- Law 53/2007 (control of foreign trade in defence and dual-use material)
- Royal Decree 679/2014 (Regulation on control of foreign trade in defence and dual-use material)
- Convention on the European Patent (1973)
- TRIPS Agreement (WTO, 1994)
- Wassenaar Arrangement
6 modules · 300 h
1.1The concept of dual use in Regulation (EU) 2021/8211.2Control lists: Annex I and the Wassenaar Arrangement1.3Patentability requirements: novelty and inventive step1.4Industrial application and sufficiency of disclosure1.5Public order exceptions: Article 53 of the EPC1.6Security exceptions under Article 73 of TRIPS1.7Differences between patents, trade secrets and utility models1.8Historical cases: radar, GPS and the internet1.9Actors: universities, companies and patent offices1.10Workshop: classifying inventions by their dual-use potential
2.1Secret patents under Law 24/2015 on Patents2.2Procedure for declaring secrecy before the OEPM2.3Compensation to the inventor for imposed secrecy2.4PCT applications and processing under security restrictions2.5NATO agreement on mutual safeguarding of secret inventions2.6Conflict between scientific publication and secrecy2.7Reservation periods and declassification2.8Responsibility of the patent agent2.9Risks of early disclosure at conferences2.10Case study: university application subject to secrecy
3.1Transfer of intangible technology and licences3.2Law 53/2007 on control of foreign trade in defence material3.3Exemption for fundamental research and its limits3.4Deemed export to foreign researchers3.5Cross-licensing and end-use clauses3.6End-user certificates and re-export3.7ITAR and EAR rules in collaborations with the USA3.8Penalties for unauthorised export3.9Due diligence on licensees and partners3.10Practice: auditing a dual-use licence agreement
4.1The inventor's responsibility for later uses4.2The precautionary principle applied to inventions4.3Responsible research and innovation (RRI)4.4Openness of knowledge versus security4.5Social benefit and monopoly over critical technologies4.6Conflicts of interest in defence funding4.7Conscientious objection by researchers4.8Human rights and licensing to third countries4.9Transparency before university ethics committees4.10Workshop: analysing dilemmas with a stakeholder matrix
5.1Intellectual property policies in universities5.2Technology transfer offices (OTRI) and security filters5.3Pre-application review protocols5.4Assessment of misuse risk5.5Confidentiality and material transfer agreements5.6Registration and traceability of sensitive inventions5.7Training of research staff5.8Compliance indicators and internal audits5.9Public communication and reputation management5.10Case study: OTRI protocol for a sensor invention
6.1Selecting a dual-use invention6.2Patentability analysis and state of the art6.3Classification under control lists6.4Assessment of ethical and security risks6.5Protection and licensing strategy6.6Export compliance plan6.7Proposal for ethical contractual clauses6.8Responsible communication plan6.9Report and presentation6.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
Fully 100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable materials, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine the course with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Espacenet, WIPO PATENTSCOPE, Orbit Intelligence (Questel), Microsoft Excel advanced, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Assays are studied through real patent search procedures and state-of-the-art analysis, classification of technologies according to dual-use lists, and case studies of patents declared secret. Assessment is continuous per module plus the final integrating project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Understand the concept of dual-use technology and its relationship with the patent system.
Analyse the regime for secret patents on grounds of national defence.
Classify an invention in accordance with the annexes to Regulation (EU) 2021/821.
Relate export control obligations to the publication of patents.
Evaluate ethical dilemmas between scientific openness, economic benefit and security.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient level of Spanish to follow technical regulatory texts.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme comprises 300 hours in total, spread over 3 to 5 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with a full-time job.
You work with Espacenet, WIPO PATENTSCOPE, Orbit Intelligence (Questel), Microsoft Excel advanced. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the open-source alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM own diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrating project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area can be credited towards the advanced programme. Check the credit recognition policy when you enrol.
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