CEIPI (Center for International Intellectual Property Studies) was founded on the 6th September 1963 within the Strasbourg Law Faculty, on the initiative of Professor Bastian.
Professor Jean-Jacques Burst became Director of the Center in 1971 and in 1975, in partnership with the Law Faculty, he set up a Diploma in Higher Specialized Studies (D.E.S.S. Accords et Propriété Industrielle) and gave CEIPI its international dimension.
The Munich Convention on the European Patent was signed on 5th Octobrer 1973. The European Patent Office was opened in 1977, which a few years later, entrusted CEIPI with the task of teaching European patent law to future specialists and agents working with the Office.
Following an EPI/CEIPI/EPO agreement, Dr. Singer set up a course in European patent law, which is organised in a number of European cities under the responsability of tutors. Professor Dieter Stauder, Director of the Interantional Section of CEIPI continued this work and developed it under an EPO-CEIPI agreement. On 1st January 2007, Markus Hoessle has been nominated Director of the International Section of CEIPI in replacement of Dieter Stauder.
Mr Thierry Debled is in charge of the coordination of the basic training courses since 2008. In 2009, he has also taken over the coordination of the seminars preparing for the European qualifying examination. Mr Debled has been appointed director of the international section in December 2012. Since July 2024, Andreas Dilg, CEIPI's coordinator of courses preparing for EQE test C, has succeeded him in this position, becoming the current director of the international section.
CEIPI has also built contacts with the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization). A cooperation agreement was signed under which CEIPI has, since 1978 been participating in the training of officials of intellectual property offices in developing countries.
On 5th December 2008, CEIPI changed its denomination which is now the "Center for International Intellectual (instead of "Industrial") Property Studies.
After serving 10 years as General Director of CEIPI, Professor Yves Reboul was replaced by Christophe Geiger, Associate Professor at the University of Strasbourg with effect from 1st September 2008. His profile was a perfect match for CEIPI's latest European and international projects.
At the CEIPI Administrative Board held on 7 December 2018, Mr. Yann Basire, was unanimously elected Director General of CEIPI, for a duration of five years. He has taken up his duties on 1st September 2019.
The 2nd March 2020, after many years at the central campus of the University of Strasbourg, the CEIPI has left its premises in l'Escarpe and rue Schiller to move in a new building called "Le CARDO" on the site of the Civil Hospital.
