Intellectual Property Law

Intellectual Property Law is the method by which law seeks to regulate the commercial use of ideas, innovation and culture. Statute law has created property in the tangible artefacts produced from ideas. Patents, Designs and Trademarks have legislated systems of registration while copyright in Australia is governed by statute, but is also the subject of extensive international agreements. The unit also covers other forms of intellectual property such as Geographical Indications, Plant Breeders’ Rights, and the protection of confidential information. Intellectual property has been profoundly affected by changes in technology with which law has had difficulty in keeping pace, yet ironically it is also intellectual property law which seeks to regulate this technology. This unit of study uses problem based learning to explore the practical application of intellectual property law and the social and ethical issues which arise from it, suggesting possibilities for further development.