Minister urges UK schools to promote vital IP Education
‘Think Kit’ lesson plans to improve the next generation’s understanding of IP.
‘Think Kit’ helps pupils understand the importance of protecting and respecting IP and helps students to learn about the commercial benefits of IP.
From today GCSE and NQ students across the country will be given access to specialised intellectual property (IP) training and preparing them for the future and ensuring they understand how to protect their creative works.
‘Think Kit’ lesson plans, designed by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) and launched today by the government. This will give teachers of business Studies, media studies, PHSE and music access to brand new online resources and toolkits designed to improve the next generation’s understanding of IP.
The lesson plans and online courses are the result of extensive qualitative research by the IPO involving hundreds of teachers across the UK which found that teachers and students wanted to improve their IP knowledge.
The lesson plans have been funded by The Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM).
Baroness Neville-Rolfe, Minister for intellectual property, said:
It is essential that we educate children about the importance of intellectual property rights. From today these practical, real-world lesson plans will support the UK curriculum.
The innovators of tomorrow must be equipped with a clear understanding of how to benefit from their creativity and ensure their hard work isn’t ripped off.
President of OHIM, António Campinos, added:
Initiatives such as the ‘Think Kit’ lesson plans provide young people with the tools they need to properly understand the role of innovation and play a full part in the knowledge society.
OHIM is delighted to be able to support this initiative by the UKIPO and will be seeking to apply the lessons learned more generally throughout the EU
Notes to editors
1.Think Kit by curriculum:
2.The IPO has also launched a new online hub, which gives schools and colleges free access to teaching resources to help students learn about intellectual property.