Project:  Southeast European Institute for Law and Economics of Intellectual Property

Description: Southeast European Institute for Law and Economics of Intellectual Property (SEILEIP) will be established, as intellectual property (IP) research and educational pillar. Interdisciplinary doctoral studies and professional courses for target group members (IP professionals) will be developed and designed for securing effective links between education, research and business, as one of the key priorities of the EU (Article 118 TFEU; Single Market Act - Lever 3; EUROPE 2020 Strategy references to IP management and valuation; and latest t developments in EU IP legislation ( IP Enforcement Directive; the new EU trademark package); the tendencies of the European patent system and the efforts for copyright harmonization in Europe (specially in the digital environment).

30 professors and university managers from MK, BG & GR will be retrained in respective academic fields. Professors will develop the curricula and deliver 12 doctoral and 21 professional courses and will prepare e-books and teaching materials in areas such as: Theoretical Foundations of Intellectual Property Law & Economics; Methodology of Scientific Research in Intellectual Property; Valuation of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) ; Quantitative Research Methods in Intellectual Property;Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement; Economic Analysis of Law ; EU Competition Law; EU Industrial Property Law (Patents, Trademarks and Industrial Designs);European Law of Copyright and Related Rights; IPRs in the Digital Environment; Licensing and Technology Transfer; Management of Intellectual Property and Intangible Assets.

10 doctoral students will be admitted in a three year Ph .D. programme, out of which 3 students with fewer opportunities and obstacles (scholarships provided).

40 IP professionals (IP managers; IP intermediaries; IP agents, judges, prosecutors, attorneys at law; IP offices employees, enforcement agencies employees) will be retrained in the area of :1. International IP Law; 2. IT Law; 3. Dispute Resolution in IP; 4. Trademark Law; 5. Patent Law; 6. Law on Industrial Designs; 7. Contract Law;8.Traditional Knowledge in IP; 9. Media Law; 10. Pharmaceuticals and IP; 11. ;Legal Research and Writing; 12. International and Comparative Patent Law;13. Protection of Geographical Indications; 14. European and International IP Law; 15. Managerial Finance; 16. Computer crime; 17.Taxation of IP;18. Protection of Bio-technological Inventions; 19. TRIPS, Patents and Public Health; 20. Cross-border Trade in IP; 21. Collective Management of Copyright & Related Rights.

Dissemination activities include development of IP e-learning portal/ web page; a European Conference of Law and Economics of Intellectual Property and publishing of a peer-reviewed Journal of Law & Economics of IP. The research and education offered through the project aims at higher enforcement level and promotion of IP management and valuation, as tools for economic development. Sustainability is based on subsequent doctoral studies tuition fee and course fees from IP professionals, as well through Southeast European IP networking action plan . Quality control and monitoring in accordance with ENQA standards is foreseen.

The main indicators of progress would be a reduction of infringement cases and higher awareness for the importance of IPRs protection. The project deliverables will be measured through EU and international reports concerning number of intellectual property rights infringement cases and IP violation cases before the courts and the increased number of trained professionals and researchers with Ph.D. in IP related topics.