Open IP

The reading groups and seminars conducted by the Faculty Research Group during the last academic year have demonstrated that legal frameworks and business models for open sharing of technology and intellectual property are still being established. During this session we will look at different frameworks that could aid our understanding of the interaction between economics, law and open intellectual property practices and that could help design strategies for future research.

This session will examine perspectives on Open IP from industry, NGO and University tech transfer perspectives, taking the University of Cambridge as a key example.

In this session we will explore the political economy of open IP in emerging technologies, particularly green technologies that could accelerate sustainability transitions.

This session will be an in-depth discussion of the concepts and empirical evidence that we have discussed over the last two terms, the extent to which they help us answer our original questions and what research might move us closer to those answers.

The goals of the public, private and third sector in leveraging intellectual property often differ substantially and this has significant implications for access to technology and creating an equitable society. In addition, real life practices in all of these sectors may not reflect stated goals and policies. This session will examine perspectives on Open IP from industry, NGO and University tech transfer perspectives, taking the University of Cambridge as a key example.

If Open IP in emerging technologies does present an opportunity to create a more equitable society - how would one assess the impact and the extent of the role openness played? This session will build on the earlier sessions of the term to create at a framework for the impacts of Open IP and discuss the theory development and empirical work required to enable effective assessment.

Many emerging and developing economies follow a model of maximising ownership and base their innovation policies on European and US approaches. Do they have an opportunity to take a radical approach to intellectual property and if so, what could that look like and what would it mean for equitable and sustainable development?

Openness can be used strategically to alter the status quo, disrupt ecosystems and technology incumbents, but there are questions as to the effectiveness, extent, timing and impact of open strategies. This session will look into how open technologies have changed ecosystems drawing on case studies in several sectors and also examine how emerging technologies such as the blockchain can themselves change modes and strategies for openness.

UPDATE: Due to unforeseen circumstances this session has being postponed until further notice. Apologies for any inconvenience caused. The goals of the public, private and third sector in leveraging intellectual property often differ substantially and this has significant implications for access to technology and creating an equitable society. In addition, real life practices in all of these sectors may not reflect stated goals and policies. This session will examine perspectives on Open IP from industry, NGO and University tech transfer perspectives, taking the University of Cambridge as a key example.