The Service Center of Shanghai Intellectual Property is to cooperate with the College of Law of Shanghai University to offer a part-time postgraduate course on intellectual property related issues, a bid to fill the talent gap in this field.

The course consists of 15 subjects including basic law knowledge and intellectual property laws and regulations. Students can decide to go on to a thesis stage after two years of study to obtain a master's degree in intellectual property.

The study will prepare students to sit for the national judicial test and qualification of patent attorney test, according to a notice from the service center.

This year, about 50 students will be enrolled in the two-to-three year program beginning in July 2003. Students need to have obtained a bachelor degree before April 2001 and have at least three year of working experience to enroll.