IP education: an ethics and sustainability perspective

In teaching an IP course, an aspect that tends to be overlooked, or marginalised, is a critical assessment of the whole system of IP. Given that IP rights are protected by monopolies and the way in which these monopolies are used can affect society at large, this is a shortcoming that needs to be addressed. By placing IP in an ethics and sustainability perspective, students are encouraged to evaluate the system of IP rights in its current form. Referring to leading scholars as course material, arguments both for and against monopoly protection for intellectual creations is presented. The strategic use of IP rights as a tool in competition is also covered, as this use can raise questions concerning whether the system is able to prevent behaviour that could be deemed dubious from an ethical perspective. Looking at IP rights in a wider social context stimulates students to consider to what extent IP protection contributes to, or hinders, sustainable development. In response to such pressing issues as climate change, environmental concerns and public health, the United Nations presented a set of sustainable development goals (SDGs), which have been adopted by all member states. To explore the role of IP in sustainable development, group assignments take the form of case studies based upon one of the SDGs, such as ‘eliminating hunger’ and ‘good healthcare’.