Food for engineers: intellectual property education for innovators.

Abstract

Intellectual property competence can assist individuals and organizations to capitalize on opportunities presented by accelerating developments in the knowledge economy. Engineers translate ideas into concrete solutions, which are frequently useful and commercially valuable, if the intrinsic intellectual property has been identified and protected. Professional bodies are beginning to acknowledge the importance of intellectual property competence as an enterprise skill for new graduates. Universities must rethink undergraduate curricula to enhance students' entrepreneurial skills and widen participation, while research strategies must take account of the growing fuzziness of disciplinary boundaries. Where faculties are expected to deliver to new agendas, despite shrinking resources and an overcrowded syllabus, selfmanaged learning activities work with assessment strategies to achieve new independent learning outcomes.