"Following my undergraduate studies in Johannesburg, South Africa, I will be pursuing my Master of Laws (LLM) in Intellectual Property Law at the University of Edinburgh. I am incredibly honoured to be awarded a Commonwealth Scholarship, which has enabled my postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom. This exciting opportunity is very sincerely a dream come true."
Iva Gobac from Johannesburg, is one of the Commonwealth Scholarship recipients of 2017. Iva achieved her Bachelor of Arts summa cum laude in 2015, and her Bachelor of Laws cum laude in 2017, both at the University of the Witwatersrand (Johannesburg, South Africa). During her studies, Iva completed a Mandela Institute Certificate in International Trade Law, and partook in the African and Geneva Round of the ELSA Moot Court Competition. Her participation in the competition resulted in a training programme at the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) in Geneva. Her educational background has emphasized the importance of a fair and inclusive international lego-political framework. Intellectual property, as a “primary resource”, holds huge potential in fostering development and innovation both in Africa and abroad, and is an area she is very passionate about.
"I believe my further studies will provide me with the essential tools to realise my ambition of contributing to global development issues, and I am eternally grateful for this phenomenal opportunity."