Introduction to Intellectual Property and Research Ethics

In this course, students acquire basic essential knowledge from scratch about intellectual property and research ethics.In addition to basic knowledge
about intellectual property, familiar products and news will also be used as teaching materials. Meanwhile, students will also learn risk management
methods in addition to basic knowledge about research ethics. This course will be taught by a faculty member who works with these matters and serves
as the head of the Intellectual Property and Venture Support Office at the university.

Intellectual property, inventions, patents, utility models, designs, trademarks, copyrighted works, copyrights, new types, licenses, patent searches, patent contests, technology transfer, license agreements, intellectual property strategy, research ethics, research misconduct, conflicts of interest, security export control, conventions on biological diversity, confidentiality, group work, work experience

［Schedule]
Class 1: Why do you need to learn about intellectual property and research ethics?
Class 2: Basic knowledge about patent and utility model (1)
Class 3: Basic knowledge about patent and utility model (2)
Class 4: Basic knowledge about design
Class 5: Basic knowledge about trademarks and plant breeder's right
Class 6: Basic knowledge about copyrights, trade secrets, tangible research results, etc.
Class 7: Summary of intellectual property (mini-test, group discussion based on case studies)
Class 8: Basic knowledge about research ethics
Class 9: Learning from case studies on research ethics
Class 10: Search, analysis, and utilization of intellectual property information (patent and utility model)
Class 11: Searching for intellectual property information (design and trademark search)
Class 12: Intellectual property cases / universities and intellectual property (technology transfer, university-launched venture companies)
Class 13: Interim presentation of group work
Class 14: Knowledge about intellectual property and research ethics necessary for university life (lecture summary)
Class 15: Final presentation of group work, course survey
[Report assignments]
At the end of Classes 2–5 and 7–12, students will be assigned report on the course contents (10 classes in total).
[Mini-works]
For Classes 1–9, students will complete mini-works (10–20 minutes) related to the lecture contents. We plan to have quizzes, workshops, discussions, and other game-like activities.
Depending on how the course progresses, we may skip the mini-works.
[Group work]
From Class 10 on, students will conduct group work to create new inventions for entry into a patent contest (https://www.patentcontest.inpit.go.jp). During Classes 8 and 9, students will
define problems to solve in groups, develop ideas, and create concrete inventions.
In Class 13, students will make an interim presentation based on an invention summary form (A4 size, 1–3 sheets). Students will refine their inventions based on feedback from other
students. For Class 15, they will prepare an application form and presentation materials for the patent contest and deliver a final presentation. For the final presentation, intellectual property
experts, such as former corporate intellectual property managers and patent attorneys, will serve as judges (2–3 people) of the presentations.

Syllabus (Japanese site only)