The 21st edition in Madrid and the launch of the first international edition in Barcelona mark a new chapter for a programme that has already trained more than 400 professionals and is expanding its global reach this year through a fully English-taught cohort.

Behind many of the decisions that shape innovation, technological development, brand protection and knowledge transfer today are specialists in intellectual and industrial property. Training these professionals is the purpose of the Master’s Programme in Industrial Property, Intellectual Property and Technological Innovation delivered by PONS Business School and ISDE Law & Business School, which this year enters a new phase of growth with the launch of its first international edition in Barcelona.

After more than two decades of experience and over 400 graduates, the programme is expanding to the Catalan capital with a fully English-taught edition developed in collaboration with PONS IP and ACCIÓ. The new cohort brings together professionals from a range of countries and academic backgrounds, reinforcing the international character of a programme that combines law, technology and business.

The Barcelona launch comes just weeks before the opening of the 21st edition in Madrid, which welcomes 20 students from Spain, Mexico, Georgia, Peru, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela. The opening ceremony featured María Jesús Magro, General Manager of PONS School of Business; Cristina López Fernández, Director of Programmes at ISDE; Alfredo Bermúdez de Castro, Academic Co-Director of the Master’s Programme; and Isabel Cortés, Director of International Relations and Projects at PONS IP and Co-Director of the programme.

During the event, María Jesús Magro highlighted the growing strategic importance of the discipline for organisations:“We are no longer talking about an area that concerns only legal departments. It is a strategic issue for companies.”

This view was shared by Alfredo Bermúdez de Castro, who reminded students that“decisions concerning intellectual and industrial property rights are now taken at board level”, reflecting the increasingly important role intangible assets play in business competitiveness.

The relationship between PONS IP and the Master’s Programme is deeply rooted in the programme’s history. Many of the professionals who are now part of the firm began their careers in its classrooms, while a significant proportion of the faculty comes directly from the consultancy, bringing practical experience in the protection and valorisation of patents, trade marks, technology and other intangible assets.

The programme’s faculty includes nearly 90 practising professionals from leading law firms, companies, technology centres and institutions. Throughout the academic year, students explore some of the most pressing challenges facing innovative organisations, including patent and trade mark protection, technology transfer, artificial intelligence, data protection, cybersecurity, copyright and entertainment law.

As Isabel Cortés noted during the inauguration,“with this area of law, you can work in Spain, the United Kingdom, Japan or Korea, because the foundations are harmonised”, highlighting the international opportunities offered by this specialisation.

A Living Programme Designed for an Evolving Innovation Ecosystem

Far more than an academic qualification, the Master’s Programme has become a professional community closely connected to the business, technology and innovation ecosystem. Its curriculum combines specialist training in patents, trade marks, technology transfer, artificial intelligence, data protection, cybersecurity, entertainment law and the strategic management of intangible assets, while also incorporating a dedicated module focused on employability, professional development and leadership skills.

The programme, worth 60 ECTS credits and available both on campus and via live streaming, includes a minimum three-month professional placement and a final dissertation designed to apply acquired knowledge to real-world challenges. Its modular structure enables participants to enrol in the full programme or in specific specialist areas, providing a flexible learning pathway tailored to different professional needs.

Prospective students can already request information about individual modules and upcoming intakes and join a professional network that has spent more than twenty years developing talent in industrial property, intellectual property and technological innovation. The programme is designed to respond to the growing demand for professionals capable of connecting law, technology and business in an economy increasingly driven by the value of intangible assets