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Unit Summary

Unit type

UG Coursework Unit

Credit points

12

AQF level

7

Level of learning

Intermediate

Former School/College

Former School of Law and Justice

Pre-requisites

96 credit points in any SCU units

Unit aim

Intellectual property is now a matter of global law and public policy-making. This seminar-style, paper course provides insights into the system and workings of the international intellectual property law, in particular the Paris, Berne and Rome Conventions, the WTO-TRIPS Agreement, the WIPO Copyright Treaty and the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty, against the background of comparative law.

Unit content

Topic 1 Introduction: Evolution of international intellectual property: overview from its beginnings to most recent developments
Topic 2: The system of international protection in the field of industrial property law
Topic 3: The system of international protection in the field of copyright and related rights law
Topic 4: A shift at the international level: The inclusion of intellectual property in trade treaties and trade measures:
Topic 5: Recent Developments in WIPO
Topic 6: The future of international intellectual property law: trends to be observed

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

GA1: , GA2: , GA3: , GA4: , GA5: , GA6: , GA7:
On completion of this unit, students should be able to: GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 Recognise the contemporary significance, distinct nature and functions of intellectual property in the global economy.
2 Explain the evolution of the international intellectual property system, and its relationship to national systems.
3 Describe the basic structure, institutions, principles and sources of international intellectual property law and the fundamental legal principles concerned in the protection of intellectual property as they pertain to copyright, related rights, patents, trade marks in particular.
4 Evaluate the impact of the WTO-TRIPs Agreement on both industrialized and emerging economies, and of the settlement of intellectual property disputes within the World Trade Organization (WTO).
5 Assess the operation of, and interrelationship between the World Trade Organization and the World Intellectual Property Organization regarding intellectual property and evaluate the latest activities of WIPO.
6 Identify, discuss and explore hypotheses for accommodating the economic, social and political dimensions of international intellectual property protection, in particular the debate about the scope of property rights in information, human rights in this respect, discussions at Doha and, recently, within WIPO.
7 Develop research, writing and advocacy skills in international intellectual property law.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. Recognise the contemporary significance, distinct nature and functions of intellectual property in the global economy.
    • GA4:
  2. Explain the evolution of the international intellectual property system, and its relationship to national systems.
    • GA4:
  3. Describe the basic structure, institutions, principles and sources of international intellectual property law and the fundamental legal principles concerned in the protection of intellectual property as they pertain to copyright, related rights, patents, trade marks in particular.
    • GA4:
  4. Evaluate the impact of the WTO-TRIPs Agreement on both industrialized and emerging economies, and of the settlement of intellectual property disputes within the World Trade Organization (WTO).
    • GA4:
  5. Assess the operation of, and interrelationship between the World Trade Organization and the World Intellectual Property Organization regarding intellectual property and evaluate the latest activities of WIPO.
    • GA4:
  6. Identify, discuss and explore hypotheses for accommodating the economic, social and political dimensions of international intellectual property protection, in particular the debate about the scope of property rights in information, human rights in this respect, discussions at Doha and, recently, within WIPO.
    • GA2:
    • GA4:
  7. Develop research, writing and advocacy skills in international intellectual property law.
    • GA4:
    • GA6: