We’re thrilled to announce that Applications for the SpicyIP Summer School 2026 are open!
Following the success of our inaugural edition last year (see event report here, and video testimonials here), we’re looking to continue our foray into the offline space, focusing on cultivating critical pluralism in approaching IP law and policy, particularly as it relates to innovation and progress.
This year’s theme “Rethinking IP: Foundations, Faults, and Futures” takes cognizance of the changing times we’re in and will push participants to revisit, and rethink common understandings of IP at three levels: where it is currently embedded (Foundations), where current tensions have manifested (Faults), and developing the analytical frameworks to reason through what is coming next (Futures). The programme will start by taking participants through a deep dive into the ‘Pharma Stack,” where participants will be introduced to IP, not in “subject” centred silos, but as strategic tools wielded by specific actors. With the analytical approaches and reflexes gained from this deep dive, participants will then be taken through four other domains where they will work through the ‘Foundations, Faults, and Futures’ set of questions. These four domains include: 1) Public Domain, the Commons, and the Open Source world; 2) Intermediaries, Power, and Competition; 3) Entertainment (Music, Film, Creators), and 4) Standards, Innovation, and Openness. Further, there will be some cross-cutting sessions with practical skills, fireside discussions, and more!
Slated for June 20th – 28th, in Whitefield, Bengaluru, it will be a 9 day residential programme with a number of expert faculty members leading different sections of the curriculum. We’re thrilled to announce that confirmed faculty members so far include Murali Neelakantan (Principal Lawyer, amicus; former Global General Counsel at Cipla), Sandeep Rathod (Global General Counsel and Sr. Vice President at Piramal Pharma Limited), Kruttika Vijay (Partner, Ira Law), and Justice Gautam Patel (Retired Judge, Bombay High Court)!
In addition to the invited expert faculty, our SpicyIP team will also lead breakout and discussion sessions to facilitate reflections on thoughts, ideas, and understandings that came up during the main sessions. Do keep an eye on our mini-page as well as our socials over the next couple of weeks as we confirm schedules and share the names of all our faculty for the programme.
To ensure rigorous participation and engagement, the cohort will be limited to 25 participants. Further, to ensure a healthy mix of perspectives, of these 25 slots, 5 slots will be kept for IDIA scholars, and another 5 slots will be kept for students from Government Law Colleges or from under-resourced law schools. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until all slots are filled, so apply soon!
All details and updates will be available on our mini-page: SpicyIP.com/SummerSchool, and you can find the application form at the bottom of that page as well.
For sponsorship opportunities, please contact us at academy[at]spicyip[dot]com.