The two-day European hybrid meeting titled “IP in Education Network Meeting” was successfully concluded at the Heraklion Chamber of Commerce in Crete.
Officials from National Intellectual Property Offices and Education Ministry representatives from most European countries coordinated for two days in a meeting focused on exchanging best practices, tools, and initiatives related to Intellectual Property in education.
The hybrid meeting was organised by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO, Ideas Powered),and started with warm greetings from the Deputy Minister of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports, Zetta A. Makri, the Director General of the Hellenic Industrial Property Organisation (OBI), Panagiotis Kanellopoulos, and the Executive Director of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), João Negrao.
The meeting was coordinated by Kari Kivinen from EUIPO (Observatory).
On the first day, the Head of the Communication Department of OBI, Rania Zacharopoulou, presented some of the educational activities organised, managed, or participated in by OBI. These included seminars at Greek universities, the organisation of STEAM labs, in-house training for 6th-grade elementary school students, and training for schools within the framework of the Authenticities program. There was also mention of student engagement at all educational levels for participation in technology-related events, such as the Firefight Exhibition (Zappeion, 13-27/04/2024).
Next, the Head of European Programs at the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports, Panagiota Karkaletsi, presented Greece’s educational framework and curriculum related to Intellectual Property in education. The Head of the Information Department at the Hellenic Copyright Organisation, Eva Kokkinou, explained the ways in which the Greek Copyright School and other activities from the organisation are implemented in Greece.
The discussions continued with brainstorming on Intellectual Property ideas, aimed at analyzing and exploring trends, communication models, practices, and perceptions that could ideally be adopted in every educational level. Aspects such as private sector collaborations with the Ministry of Education and Regions were analyzed, as well as how the concepts of “Innovation,” “Entrepreneurship,” and “Artificial Intelligence” are perceived in education.
“The most important outcome of the constructive meeting was the confirmation that every country participating has already pioneered in raising awareness about Intellectual Property rights for every creative individual. With at least 15 European countries present in the welcoming space of the Heraklion Chamber of Commerce, unique activities and methods for educating the new generation were presented, as well as ways to support them with educational materials related to Intellectual Property.”
On the second day, research initiatives by the European Patent Office (EPO) were presented, as well as how teachers, school advisors, and students are informed about innovation, patent commercialization, and entrepreneurship. Questions were also raised regarding Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the potential replacement of educators by new technologies in classrooms. Practical methods for informing young students with learning difficulties were discussed, as well as the flexibility teachers have in their work and their specific needs for classroom tools and funding.
“The fully successful two-day exchange of ideas and tools related to Intellectual Property in Education concluded with participants sharing their proposals and professional experiences on the topic, presenting many examples of their work. Some countries even revealed, for the first time, initiatives they plan to implement in the near future. These include specialized social media campaigns, organizing IP summer camps, interactive invention games for preschool children, unique physical innovation games, specialized Intellectual Property publications that can be sent for free to any country that wishes, IP training specifically for teachers & professors, and initiatives aimed at changing mindsets for the benefit of all.”
Find the program with the participants and their topics at the IP in Education Network Meeting here
