Event Report: The European Intellectual Property Teacher's Network 10th Anniversary Conference

The European Intellectual Property Teachers Network (EIPTN) brings together IP enthusiasts from across Europe to exchange ideas on best practice and innovation in teaching and learning activities relating to intellectual property. As long term readers of the IPKat Blog will no doubt remember, Blogmeister Emeritus Jeremy Phillips was a huge supporter of IP Education, and that was in fact the initial purpose of setting up this blog in 2003. THE EIPTN has been hosting discussion on best practices, new ideas and innovations in IP teaching for over 10 years [Kat post on the very first annual conference here!]

The 10th Anniversary EIPTN Conference (sponsored by the European Union Intellectual Property Office and the European Patent Office) took place at the University of Lund in Sweden at the end of June. Dr Jane Denoncourt (Chair EIPTN, Conference Convenor and Senior Lecturer at Nottingham Law School) reports on the event:

“Our annual two-day conference was hosted in Sweden by the vibrant Lund University. A very exciting year for the EIPTN as our host institution ranks 73rd in QS World University Rankings. The international EIPTN IP pedagogy conference attracted delegates from 20 countries. We kicked off with a Welcome event held at the elegant Faculty of Law in the centre of the ancient university town of Lund and were cordially received with glasses of bubbly and Swedish themed fare by Jur. Dr. UlrikaWennersten, a newly appointed EIPTN Committee member.

The EIPTN 10th anniversary gathering was a great opportunity to reflect on the past and future of IP education. IP educators generously shared their innovative work and we learned from some of the best IP education thought leaders in Europe. 

Alison Firth looking at the publications authored by EIPTN members

On Day 1 Kristina Eneroth (Associate Professor, Vice Dean of the triple crown School of Economics University of Lund) expressed her view that “brilliant research is no excuse for poor teaching”. An inspirational key note address by Marianne Levin, LL.D., PhD, honoris causa, Professor of Private Law Stockholm University ensured.  Marianne gave us her delightful ‘Memoirs of IP Law” which included a visually captivating presentation depicting how IP law has evolved from being ‘a little island to a big ocean’. Legal Advisor Louise Petrelius of the Swedish Ministry of Justice provided an encouraging update as to her involvement in the Unitary Patent and the Unified Patent Court that will rock the IP world.

In Session 1, we considered new approaches to IP education with presentations by Dr Sabine Jacques (University of East Anglia) who shared an amazing IP quiz game she developed to make learning IP fun. Thorsten Lauterbach (Robert Gordon University) spoke on flipping IP learning and the technology involved in making it work; Joe Sekhon (University of Portsmouth) explained how social media helps him to educate student entrepreneurs about IP. 

In Session 2, we applied ancient wisdom and modern thinking to IP education.  This provided a platform for Professor Laurent Manderieux and Jur. Dr.Gabriele Gagliani (Bocconi University) to communicate their use of the tried and true socratic method. The modern theme of diversity in access to IP education was shared by Caroline Coles (De Montfort University). Pavel Koukal,JUDr. (Masaryk University) entertained with a high profile Czech parody case and the use of Moot Courts to teach IP enforcement. 

Those relatively new to academia who have a role in keeping the teaching methods fresh, presented next. A lively introduction to IP Ethics and the ‘The Trolley Problem’ by Lauren Traczykowski(University of Birmingham) put a new twist on IP education. A series of music copyright awareness events designed by Haris Hasic (University of Travnik) which attracted high profile musicians followed. Hayleigh Bosher (University of the Arts London and IPKat) delivered an upbeat TED style talk on how she has succeeded in ‘Engaging Creative Students in IP Law Education’. Diane Nickl (EUIPO Academy) demonstrated the EUIPO Learning Platform and IP Content which is freely available online to IP educators. The EPO’s initiatives to promote IP in universities including research funding opportunities and study visits was the subject of Giovanni Arca’s presentation to the international group of IP educators and researchers. Day 1 ended after a walking tour of the stunning University campus and Swedish hospitality continued with a Gala Annual Dinner at the FinnInn Restaurant with Swedish folklore about the giant Finn.  

Conference attendees admiring the beautiful Lund

Day 2 began with talks on the theme of the ‘Future of IP Education’. The Chair of the UK IP Awareness Network, Professor Emirita Ruth Soetendorp discussed the impact of the UK Higher Education institutions IP policies on students.  Peter van Donger of the Netherlands PatentOffice shared the current trends in teaching IP. Dr Janice Denoncourt confirmed that £133 billion is the current estimate of the value of intangibles to the UK economy and that economic dependency on IP rights warrants the formal inclusion of IP law in the requirements for qualifying law degrees. The final session involved Nordic approaches to IP teaching led by Bente Fjeldberg, the Training and Development Manager of the Norwegian Patent Office.  Bente show cased their provocative TV programme ‘Patenting vs Research?’ made for the Norwegian Knowledge Channel that aired in October 2016.  A second TV programme is planned for Autumn 2017 which we are all keen to see.  The final session was a joint act with Ulrika Wennersten and her colleague Jur. Dr. Associate Professor Ulf Maunsbach (Lund University) who co-teach their innovative IP law case management module which involves Swedish lawyers mentoring IP students to conduct real IP cases in Swedish courts.

Two perfect days to perfect IP teaching and learning. Stay tuned for the announcement of the Harts Publishing Best Presentation Prize. Conference papers will be published in the Nottingham Law Journal and the Prometheus Critical Studies in Innovation journal with a Best Paper Prize sponsored by Routledge. 

We are extremely proud of our accomplishments in IP teaching in the EU and look forward to continuing to be at the forefront of developments in the field of IP education. Over the last decade, bringing together IP teachers in one place, has made us all aware of the strength of the network. To many of us, even those active in EIPTN for some years, the scale and reach of those achievements is a surprise.”

This is an annual conference, with the location for next year’s event still to be revealed. Keep up to date at and for further information about EIPTN see www.eiptn.org

Photos: Janice Denoncourt