About this course

In my work, I’ve specialized on helping professors, researchers and students effectively use intellectual property for their benefit. 

This course guides you through the world of patents in an academic context. It will not only discuss how patents work — but it will equip you with the practical tips and tools to use patents efficiently and in a way that allows you to successfully leverage your research results.

The content of this course is uniquely tailored to common situations and problems that arise in an academic context. 


Why this course is unique

  • Structured around practical problems and questions

  • In plain English

  • Tailored to the academic context

Course curriculum

    1. Welcome!

    2. Why this course?

    3. Who is this course for and what will you learn?

    4. A few words about myself

    5. Feedback

    6. Contributions

    1. Why should you know about patents?

    2. What is the difference between patents and other types of intellectual property?

    3. What is a patent?

    4. What is a patentable invention?

    5. When is your invention 'useful'?

    6. When is your invention 'new'?

    7. When is your invention 'non-obvious'?

    8. What cannot be patented?

    9. How can you patent your invention?

    1. Once the patent application has been filed I have a patent

    2. Ideas can be patented

    3. My invention is patentable if it is not patented by someone else

    4. Inventions are a fixed concept

    5. A patent gives me the right to use my invention

    6. I only infringe a patent if I copy the patented invention

    7. Using a patented invention in my research does not amount to infringement

    8. A provisional patent is a faster and cheaper way of patenting my invention

    9. A patent protects my invention internationally

    10. All patents are valuable and licensable

    11. If I have a patent no one can copy my invention

    1. What should your patent application focus on?

    2. How do you read a patent?

    3. A bit of basic claim-strategy

    4. How do you conduct a prior art search?

    5. What if you find prior art?

    6. How not to lose the right to a patent

    7. What if you need to disclose your invention before an application has been filed?

    8. How can you determine who owns an invention?

    9. How can you protect your invention abroad?

    1. Why is your institution's intellectual property policy so important?

    2. Did you contribute enough to be named as an inventor?

    3. How do you correctly determine inventors in your research project?

    4. Do you own your inventions (in general terms)?

    5. How do you determine whether you own a specific invention?

    6. How to conduct research with patents in mind

About this course

  • Free
  • 41 lessons
  • 4.5 hours of video content

Meet your instructor

Learn from an expert

Dr. Anna Marion Bieri

Anna has 20+ years of international experience in law and intellectual property law from a combined career in industry and academia. In the last 10+ years Anna worked closely with academic researchers and creators. She has taught over 20 undergraduate and graduate classes at a research university in the US. Her book 'patents and professors' was published in July 2022 by Mohr Siebeck. She holds an LL.B (hons) from Durham University, UK, an LL.M. from the Munich Intellectual Property Law Center, Germany, and a Ph.D. (summa cum laude) from the University of Bayreuth, Germany.

And the best part? It's FREE!

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