Patentology and Licence Trade

Dates & timetable:

Involvement of external stakeholders in the micro-credential Patentology and Licence Trade is important to ensure that learners work with up-to-date legal, procedural, and commercial practices in the field of intellectual property (IP). Cooperation with patent offices, technology transfer units, industry partners, and professional patent attorneys will provide real cases, examples of registration procedures, and insights into licensing negotiations. Involvement of external stakeholders in the micro-credential Patentology and Licence Trade is important to ensure that learners work with up-to-date legal, procedural, and commercial practices in the field of intellectual property (IP). Cooperation with patent offices, technology transfer units, industry partners, and professional patent attorneys will provide real cases, examples of registration procedures, and insights into licensing negotiations.

1. Cooperation with patent and IP institutions
• Invite representatives from national or regional intellectual property offices, European IP bodies, or technology transfer units to present current requirements for patent, trademark, and industrial design registration.
• Use authentic application and filing examples as case material for discussions and assignments.
2. Real-life IP and licensing cases from industry
• Partner with companies and R&D-performing organisations to provide examples of how they protect inventions, brands, and designs, and how they structure licence agreements or technology transfer.
• Organise these as group tasks where learners analyse the chosen IP object, assess protection routes, and propose possible licensing or commercialisation options.
3. Guest lectures from practitioners
• Invite patent attorneys, IP lawyers, and technology transfer professionals to give sessions on patent drafting, international protection routes (EPO, WIPO), infringement issues, and licence contract clauses.
• This allows learners to compare Lithuanian/European practice with international practice, as reflected in the module content.
4. Stakeholder role in evaluation and feedback
• Involve practitioners in reviewing student group projects on IP protection or licensing strategies, providing comments from a market and legal perspective.
• This interaction helps learners understand how IP decisions affect business value, negotiations, and international cooperation.

Description:

The Patentology and Licence Trade micro-credential is designed to provide learners with comprehensive knowledge and practical skills in the protection, management, and commercialisation of intellectual property (IP). It explores how patents, trademarks, industrial designs, and copyrights serve as strategic assets that drive innovation, competitiveness, and business value.

This micro-credential responds to the growing demand for professionals capable of navigating the complex IP landscape and ensuring effective use of intellectual property rights (IPR) in research, technology development, and international trade. Participants will gain a thorough understanding of national, European, and international IP protection systems and learn how to apply these frameworks to real-world innovation processes.

Learners will develop the ability to prepare patent documentation, evaluate inventions for patentability, and understand licensing structures and technology transfer mechanisms. The module also emphasises ethical, legal, and strategic aspects of IP management, enabling learners to make informed decisions in research, business, and policy contexts.

It emphasizes how effective management of intellectual property rights supports responsible research, technology transfer, and the diffusion of environmentally and socially beneficial innovations. Students learn to balance commercial interests with ethical and sustainable development goals, ensuring that innovation contributes to long-term societal well-being and sustainable economic growth.

This micro-credential is ideal for:

• Graduates from diverse disciplines seeking to build foundational IP and licensing knowledge.
• Master’s and PhD students aiming to protect and manage research-based intellectual property.
• R&D and innovation professionals involved in patenting, technology transfer, and IP strategy.
• Legal practitioners and consultants interested in patent law and commercialisation.
• Entrepreneurs, start-up founders, and company executives developing innovation-driven products or services and seeking to maximise value through IP protection and licensing.

Number of synchronous and asynchronous contact hours

• 160 effort hours in total for student
• Each MC is 12 weeks long (Inclusive of introduction and conclusion sessions)
• Approx. 30 hours of contact time
• Part-time equates to approximately 1,5-2 hours lecture contact time per week
• At least 50% of synchronous sessions if not seminars and practical activities on the content

Learning Outcomes:

• Analyse the principles and legal frameworks of intellectual property (IP) protection at national, European, and international levels, with a focus on patents, trademarks, industrial designs, and copyrights.
• Evaluate the patentability of inventions and apply procedural knowledge to prepare and submit patent applications according to formal requirements.
• Assess the economic and strategic value of intellectual property in business development, innovation management, and technology transfer.
• Develop and justify strategies for the protection, management, and commercial exploitation of intellectual property within organisations.
• Understand and apply the fundamentals of licence trade, including contract structures, negotiation techniques, and valuation of IP assets.
• Critically analyse real-world cases of patenting, licensing, and IP disputes, demonstrating awareness of ethical, legal, and commercial implications.
• Synthesize and present an intellectual property protection or licensing project that demonstrates the integration of legal knowledge, strategic thinking, and practical application.

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