The Southern African–Nordic Centre (SANORD), in collaboration with the University of the Western Cape (UWC), is pleased to invite members of the SANORD community to participate in an upcoming webinar focused on Intellectual Property (IP).
This webinar forms part of SANORD’s ongoing commitment to strengthening research capacity, innovation, and knowledge exchange across the network. It is designed to introduce researchers to the fundamentals of intellectual property, explain why IP matters, and demonstrate how IP can be strategically managed to maximize the impact and reach of research outputs.
Whether your work involves developing new technologies, methodologies, or creative outputs, a sound understanding of IP is a critical step in transforming research into innovative and socially impactful outcomes. The session will also provide an opportunity for engagement, knowledge sharing, and discussion around IP‑related considerations relevant to collaborative and multidisciplinary research.
Webinar Details
Title: Unlocking the Value of Your Research: An Introduction to Intellectual Property
Date: 30 April 2026
Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM (SAST)
Format: Online (Zoom)
Registration
Participation is free, but registration is required.
Please register using the following link:
https://uwc.zoom.us/meeting/register/OG1qrdnuTo2_2YioAKg-Cg
SANORD members are kindly encouraged to share this invitation widely within their institutions and research communities to ensure broad participation across the network.
For any queries related to the webinar, please contact the SANORD Central Office.
We look forward to your participation.
SPEAKERS
PROF. PRISCILLA BAKER
Baker is the 2025 winner of the L’Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science International Award, Laureate for Africa and the Arab States. She is a senior professor in Chemistry and the current South African Research Chair Initiative (SARChI) chair in Analytical Systems and Processes for Priority and Emerging Contaminants (ASPPEC). She is the director of the Electrochemical Sensors node of the Nano-microfabrication Facility (NMMF) of the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI, South Africa), hosted at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). She is co-director of the first International Associated Laboratory (LIA) between France and South Africa. Baker is the co-director of the SensorLab research group (Chemistry department, UWC) since 2004. Baker was elected Regional Representative for South Africa and Africa (2017-2021), in service of the International Society of Electrochemistry (ISE, Switzerland). Baker has served as councillor for the South African Chemical Institute (SACI, 2006-2018) and chairperson of the Electrochemical division of SACI. In 2020 Baker was awarded a Fellow in Residence appointment on the Paris Seine Initiative for Excellence programme, hosted at the CY Cergy Paris University, France. In 2014 Baker was the winner of the deputy vice- chancellor’s Young Researcher Award, (UWC). In the same year she was announced the winner of the Distinguished Woman Scientist Award in the category of Physical and Engineering Sciences, Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of South Africa.
DR ANA CASANUEVA
Ana Casanueva is the Director of the Technology Transfer Office at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) in Cape Town, South Africa, where she is responsible for the management and commercialisation of the university’s intellectual property emanating from research. She has also served on the Southern Africa Research and Innovation Management Association (SARIMA) Committee from 2019-2023. Ana received her PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of Cape Town, South Africa, in 2005 and holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Management Practice with specialisation in Business Administration from the same institution. She worked as an Innovation Professional at UWC for 7 years before working in a Technology start-up part-time, while also consulting in Technology Innovation. Prior to re-joining UWC, Ana was a Technology Project Manager at the South African Medical Research Council.
Moderator
DR TASMEERA SINGH
Tasmeera Singh, PhD, is an international higher education specialist with over 26 years of experience in the sector since 2000. She is currently employed at the University of Western Cape (UWC) as the Director International Relations and SANORD. Prior to her appointment at UWC she was the Director Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). Dr Singh was also employed for 21 years at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban. In addition, Dr Singh serves as the Deputy President for the International Education Association of South Africa (IEASA) and is part of the IEASA Management Council for several years. Dr Singh is a HERS SA Alumnus, a COMENSA Credentialed Coach and has just been appointed by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) reference group for the Policy Framework for the Internationalisation of Higher Education. Dr Singh completed her PhD in 2019 using a case study approach examining issues of identity and transformation at one South African University. She is passionate about the issues of transformation, diversity, and inclusivity in higher education from a feminist perspective. Her research interests entail interrogating internationalisation as a driver of transformation in South African higher education.