“teaching ip at higher education institutions …...ip online platform • the primary measure is...
TRANSCRIPT
“Teaching IP at higher education
institutions – Target Groups"institutions – Target Groups"
Belgrade (EPO), 1 September 2010
Charles-Henry Massa (Belgium)
EPO Roadmaps
• EPO: Roadmaps for Disseminating IP
Knowledge in Universities
• 12 EPO countries so far, Belgium just
included (drafted with Prof. Strowel)
Target Groups
• IP teaching capacity (Professors…)
• TTOs (Technology Transfer Offices):
– research protection and valorization – research protection and valorization
– but also IP sensitization courses
• Students at bachelor/master level
(cf. Bologna)
• Researchers at doctoral/post-doc
level
Outline
• I. Situation (in Belgium)
– May provide inspiration for Serbia?
• II. Measures for improvement (in
Belgium)
– May suggest improvements in Serbia?
I. Situation in Belgium
• Fragmentation (balkanization?)
between:
– Flanders, Wallonia, Brussels
(federalism)
– Within universities, between TTOs and
Faculties
– But networks of TTOs (LIEU + TTO
Flanders) (cf. tomorrow)
IP Policy in Universities
• IP policy in Universities’ Statutes
• Education• Education
• Research
• Entrepreneurship (valorization)
IP Teaching in Faculties
• Law
• Science/Engineering
• Business/Management• Business/Management
• Other Schools:
– Design, Architecture, Journalism…
IP Law Courses
• Some mandatory, most optional
• Some at bachelor level, most at
(advanced) master level(advanced) master level
• Most are stand-alone IP (or specific
IPRs), some are part of commercial
(or property) law
Specialized LL.M.’s in IP
• No ‘one-size-fits-all’
• Diverse:
– Topics: IP alone or with Competition or – Topics: IP alone or with Competition or
ICT Law
– Students: Belgian and foreigners,
graduates or professionals
– Languages: FR, NL, EN
Specialized LL.M.’s in IP
• ULg: Advanced Master in
Competition and IP Law (FR-EN)
• FUNDP: Advanced Master in ICT • FUNDP: Advanced Master in ICT
Law (FR)
• HUB: Advanced Master in IPRs
(NL-FR)
– Evening classes for young
professionals in Brussels
IP in Science/Engineering
• IP courses at master level
– Law Professors may not meet practical
needs (practitioners wanted)
• IP sensitization by TTOfficers
– Seminars in labs
– Courses at doctoral level
IP in Business Management
• Still very few IP courses, despite IP’s
crucial value for business
• Solvay Business School: • Solvay Business School:
– In the “Innovation and Technology”
course at master level, students can
perform real cases market studies on
patents filed by the University.
Interdisciplinary IP courses
• ULB: IP Life-Long Training program
• Topics: covering the complete innovation
chain from different perspectives
• Two modules: – “How to protect inventions and research results?”
– “How to bring economical value to those?”
• Students: post-graduate students and
academic staff
Interdisciplinary IP courses
• Multidisciplinary team of lecturers:
– IP Law professors from the University
– IP specialists from private law firms– IP specialists from private law firms
– patent attorneys
– IP managers from private companies
– business developers from incubation
facilities
– TTOs staff members (scientific
advisors and business developers)
Seminars and workshops
• Topics: biotech, IT, innovation
management…
• Public:• Public:
– Professionals from industry
– Researchers from university
II. Measures for improvement
• IP online platform
• IP course offerings
• IP curricula• IP curricula
• IP pedagogy
IP Online Platform
• The primary measure is the creation of a joint onlineplatform for IP management that would be – common to several disciplines (law, economics, management)
and/or universities (for ex. various courses on innovation) and
– more open (no log-in) than classic course websites
• The platform would consist of three main tools: • The platform would consist of three main tools: – (i) a repository for the various pedagogic materials;
– (ii) a blog (managed by the teachers, but where studentswould be allowed to post relevant materials) and
– (iii) a forum or a related professional networking site (such as LinkedIn) facilitating the practical exchange of information between alumni (potential employers) and the students (potential trainees).
IP Course offerings
• There should be more IP course offerings, incl.: – a mandatory IP course at bachelor level in Law
faculties;
– a mandatory IP course (at bachelor or master level) in: • (i) Science/Engineering (e.g. for biotech or computer science)
• (ii) Business/Management faculties
– an IP sensitization course at doctoral level in Science/Engineering Faculties
– IP awareness sessions, e.g. 2 hours (mainly on copyright issues) in humanities
– as well as an interdisciplinary master in IP management (for policy-makers in Brussels)
• (cf. Maastricht or Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT))
IP Curricula
• IP curricula should be harmonised (but flexible)
– Cf. the IP Interdisciplinary Curriculum designed by
the European Patent Academy
• IP curricula should be interdisciplinary • IP curricula should be interdisciplinary
– interdisciplinary basic IP course structure for all
faculties
– interdisciplinary master in IP management
• IP curricular could be tailored or modular.
– General module plus specific modules adaptable to
• (i) the school (law, business, science/engineering )
• (ii) the level of education (Bachelor, Master, Ph.D.).
IP Pedagogy
• The IP teaching should use modern pedagogy:
– problem-based learning, case-studies
– real-world materials
• e.g. real patents, real litigation exhibits, real licensing
contracts
– inviting guests from the IP industry and professional
circles, etc.
• Need for administrative support!
• Sponsoring issue (law firms?)
• Joint tenures?
– EPO patent teaching kit, WIPO Academy materials
Get your free kit today!
• EPO Patent teaching kit
• Download or order hard copy
• http://www.epo.org/patents/learning/t• http://www.epo.org/patents/learning/t
eaching/download.html
