Welcome to the home page of the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) at Birkbeck research group. This page draws together contributors from several Schools at Birkbeck, University of London. The group is not exclusive in nature, so if you are a Birkbeck researcher and wish to join, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Bringing interdisciplinary research and social responsibility into the subjects of intellectual property rights (IPRs)

Birkbeck has a history in exploring the interface between the arts and sciences. This is at the level of both research and teaching programmes, but our historical pride is also at the activist level where Birkbeck researchers, among other things, have argued the need for understanding the social implications of science.

Those who join the IPR at Birkeck group of researchers and teachers also maintain that we need to bring interdisciplinary research and social responsibility into the consideration of intellectual property rights (IPRs), and bring those perspectives on to the next generation of students and researchers. We also assert that cross-institutional dialogue with international organizations, governmental agencies, the businesses, collecting societies and other groups of intellectual property owners and users is the best underpinning for informed research in management, law, economics and politics on IPR related matters. Finally, we have sought to establish the IPR at Birkbeck research group because we consider that publicly funded researchers need a forum in which to explore their views on the use of IPRs in the exploitation and appropriation of research that would otherwise form part of the global commons.

History

The founders of the IPR at Birkbeck research group are Dr. Birgitte Andersen (Management) and Professor Fiona Macmillan (Law), June 5th 2003, who discussed and agreed on the need for more interdisciplinary research on IPR related matters, and the need for a greater consideration of social responsibility in the research and teaching on intellectual property rights (IPRs).

Dialogue is important

To share our fascination for interdisciplinary IPR research and social responsibility with our colleagues within Birkbeck as well as outside, this resource page list our current research projects since 2003 (See link to ACTIVITIES above). Click also on the other links above to select any information you are interested in. We are also very interested in any feedback on our work which you may have, so please do not hesitate to contact us with your comments.

Contact

Please select Researchers from the top navigational bar.