Japanese model

Japan is the world's second strongest protector of intellectual property rights (IPR), so it's not surprising that it pays a lot of attention to IPR education. The subject was even added to its university courses in the early-1980s. The country established a national development strategy in April 2002 that required all industries to emphasize IPR protection, raise public awareness and knowledge of patent protection, and encourage the government to develop a talent pool of IPR professionals.

The strategy also said that Japan would promote IPR education in primary and middle schools by providing textbooks geared at developing IPR awareness by focusing on the importance of creativity. Discussions were held among teachers on IPR-related topics to further enhance their awareness, and people were encouraged to learn about the great inventions of the past. Citizens were urged to work on their ideas so that they could understand the need to protect IPR on a more personal level.

The Japanese Patent Office (JPO) has played a major role in promoting IPR education throughout the country. It prepares and provides free textbooks on IPR to a number of schools, for example. In 2002 alone, it provided learning materials to 2,500 primary schools, 1,500 junior high schools and 450 senior high schools. It also provided books to public libraries and science museums.

The JPO strengthened the IPR teaching force by co-operating with local educational committees to launch forums and train teachers about the importance of creativity and IPR protection. It also researched ways of emphasizing the importance of IPR education in the overall education system.

US methods

IPR education is primarily implemented in the United States through basic rather than senior courses. According to an investigation of 50 law schools said to offer comprehensive IPR educational programes, "Introduction to Copyrights" is the most popular course in the country. Forty-eight of the 50 law schools surveyed offer introductory courses on copyrights. "Introduction to Patents and Trademarks" is the second most popular course, "Introduction to IPR" ranks third (35/50) and "International IPR Protection" is fourth. Although some law schools that offer excellent IPR programmes also provide these courses, they are not seen as elite institutions.

If they have teaching facilities, faculty and students, some law schools will open senior courses on patents, trademarks and copyrights. Only after they have provided these basic and senior courses will these schools offer more professional IPR programmes, including classes on patent infringement law, patent damages law, business confidentiality law and international IPR law. Most law schools rarely provide such courses, however, because they require competent professors and interested students. Only institutions known to offer quality and professional IPR programmes would have these more senior courses

On November 21, 2005, China's State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) and the WIPO jointly launched the "National Senior Forum on IPR Education in China" in Foshan, in South China's Guangdong Province. The list of keynote speakers was impressive: Mpazi Sinjela, dean of WIPO's Worldwide Academy; Chang Cheng, senior counsellor of WIPO's Asian-Pacific Development Authority; Song Hai, vice-governor of Guangdong; Li Yuguang, deputy commissioner of SIPO; and Liang Shaotang, mayor of Foshan.

The three-day forum discussed China's basic IPR education programmes, the relationship between IPR awareness and schools, IPR education in colleges and universities, and after-school professional training on IPR issues.

Li said in his speech that a stable IPR system has existed for more than 200 years. It is still new compared with conventional property rights and creditors' rights, however. IPR have a history of more than 20 years in China. An effective way to promote awareness is to quickly popularize the subject and educate people.

"Foshan has made some great achievements in that area, which is why the forum was held in the city," Li said.

Sinjela highlighted three significant points regarding experimental IPR educational initiatives in Foshan's Nanhai District. First, it is important to teach children about IPR. Second, children should be taught not to infringe on other people's IPR. Third, adults should be encouraged to be creative, and should know that their IPR can be protected. This will accelerate social development.

It is a time consuming task, however. Most Chinese enterprises are not aware of IPR protection and do not know how to protect their own copyrights in the global marketplace. Although the government has introduced several important IPR projects, they have only been temporary solutions to a big problem. A final, comprehensive approach would be for China to include IPR education in its national development strategies and encourage enterprises to be creative and apply for more patents.

China's top leaders, including President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao, have continually stressed the importance of IPR. In January 2005, a special working group was set up after approval from the State Council to form a national IPR strategy. The group is led by Vice-Premier Wu Yi, and includes 28 directors from SIPO.

Recent measures have included enhancing IPR education, cultivating competent professionals, changing the legal system to protect IPR, encouraging creativity, increasing the number of patents, introducing IPR management systems in a range of organizations and enterprises, facilitating the industrialization of patents, accelerating efforts to establish an inquiry and service system on IPR, setting up efficient warning systems, quickening the establishment of intermediary agencies, and actively pursuing the establishment of a favourable global IPR environment.

Chinese government officials, enterprises and ordinary citizens are improving their awareness and knowledge of IPR. It is widely agreed that it's a very important issue and that China needs to become a country of creativity if it hopes to develop further. Effective IPR strategies are of great significance to the country's future.

State Intellectual Property Office

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