Intellectual Property Education Program

Introducing the IP Education Program – a valuable resource for today’s knowledge economy.


IP Education Logo

The Intellectual Property (IP) Education Program is an interactive, free, online training program from University of Toronto Entrepreneurship to equip students, faculty, and staff with a broad foundation in intellectual property and its general applications in today’s knowledge economy. 

Built with input from IP domain experts and leveraging best-in-class resources from organizations, including the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) and the Centre for International Governance and Innovation (CIGI), this program will introduce learners to the basics of IP and related topics, including patents, trademarks, copyright and trade secrets. Connecting theory with real-world examples, students will be given the tools to recognize the value of their creations and the steps required to protect them. 

PROGRAM BREAKDOWN 

The IP Education Program consists of two levels: Level 1: IP Foundations and Level 2: IP Strategy and Application 

For each level, learners are expected to spend 2-4 hours completing modules and associated quizzes. Online modules will also be supplemented year-round by relevant case studies, optional instructor-led workshops and expert panel sessions to provide learners with exposure to practitioners, thought leaders and entrepreneurs. Attendance at these workshops and events is not required but is highly recommended. 

For more information about the IP Education Program, please visit the University of Toronto Entrepreneurship webpage 

Level 1: IP Foundations 

Recognized by the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities as a significant resource and milestone under the Intellectual Property Action Plan, Level 1 consists of two modules covering the definition of IP – its value and different forms including patents, trademarks and copyright – and one module on the basics of how to file a patent. It is recommended for all students, faculty and researchers. No prior knowledge of intellectual property is required to take Level 1. 

Overview 

  • Module 1 – Definition of Intellectual Property and its Different Forms 
  • Module 2 – The Value of IP 
  • Module 3 – Filing Patents 

Accessing the Modules 

For those external to the University of Toronto community and educators, the Level 1 modules have been packaged for download and import into academic courses or other research or entrepreneurship-related initiatives, with a goal of promoting broader access and re-use. They are now available under a Creative Common License through the Open Library of e-Campus Ontario.  

Level 1 – External Educators 

Level 1 of the IP Education Program is now freely available to individuals outside the University of Toronto. Follow the link below to navigate to the online modules.  

Level 1 – External Individual Learner  

Level 2 – IP Strategy and Application- Patent Strategies  

Level 2 – Patent Strategies will introduce learners to the steps and strategies involved in Patents, including preparing and filing a Patent Application, preparing for Patent Examinations, and building an Intellectual Property Portfolio. It is directed at entrepreneurs, start-ups, student researchers, faculty and staff who are developing IP and are interested in obtaining patents in Canada, the U.S. and other countries. Successful completion of Level 1 (IP Foundations) is strongly recommended before taking Level 2 

This level is comprised of five online Modules 

  • Module 1: Approaches to Protecting IP 
  • Module 2: Patent Applications  
  • Module 3: Patent Examination 
  • Module 4: IP Portfolio Management  
  • Module 5: IP Assets for Commercialization 

By the end of this training, you should be able to: 

  • Identify approaches to protecting Intellectual Property 
  • Explain the steps and strategies involved in preparing and filing a Patent Application 
  • Explain the steps and strategies involved in Patent Examination/Prosecution 
  • Identify ways to build and manage an Intellectual Property Portfolio 
  • Describe strategies for commercializing Intellectual Property 

Strongly recommended for entrepreneurs, start-ups, student researchers, faculty and staff who are developing IP and are interested in obtaining patents in Canada, the U.S., and other countries.  

Accessing the Modules 

For those external to the University of Toronto community and educators, the Level 2 – Patent Strategies modules have been packaged for download and import into academic courses or other research or entrepreneurship-related initiatives, with a goal of promoting broader access and re-use. They are now available under a Creative Common License through the Open Library of e-Campus Ontario.  

Level 2- External Educators  

 

External access to these resources is made possible with funding from the Government of Ontario and through eCampusOntario’s support of the Virtual Learning Strategy. To learn more about the Virtual Learning Strategy visit: https://vls.ecampusontario.ca.


Support

Have a question about the program?

University of Toronto students, faculty, and staff can register for the course, with the online Registration Form.

Ask an Expert- please contact: ipeducation.entrepreneurship@utoronto.ca with your specific IP-related questions, and we will source a response from an expert in the field.

For inquiries about the program, upcoming workshops and IP related events, please contact: ipeducation.entrepreneurship@utoronto.ca.

More information: https://entrepreneurs.utoronto.ca/ip-education-program/

For inquiries about the entrepreneurship ecosystem at U of T, please contact: entrepreneurs@utoronto.ca.

University of Toronto

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.