Next generation of inventors get to grips with IP
Nationwide efforts aim to teach theoretical and practical intellectual property skills
At Xining No 2 Middle School in Qinghai province, a special Chinese class explores the region's rich resources through geographic indications.
Under teachers' guidance, students delve into the history of GI products such as Chaka salt and Qaidam wolfberry, compile promotional copy and design anti-counterfeiting logos for them.
A student wrote in his homework: "I never knew that before. Chaka Salt is not just a trademark; it's intellectual property that should be protected carefully."
The story was shared by the school's deputy principal Dang Jiwu during a national IP education training program held by the China National Intellectual Property Administration recently.
Dang said that the school has abandoned the traditional method of "instilling theories" and instead incorporated IP elements into every subject and aspect of teaching, so that students will naturally develop an IP awareness.
Additionally, faculty members have developed a school-based curriculum for students with different needs.
"For junior middle school students, we concentrate on raising their awareness of what intellectual property is, enabling them to grasp basic IP concepts through educational activities," he said.
At the senior middle school stage, the emphasis is placed on how to use intellectual property and cultivate students' practical abilities.
"We firmly believe that the essence of IP education lies in practical experiences. Only by engaging students in the complete cycle — from idea generation, design and development to patent protection — can they truly understand the value of IP," Dang said.
The school has established a practical platform, involving societies, competitions and workshops. Its facilities include an electronic maker workshop and Lego robotics laboratory.
These spaces are equipped with patent search database terminals, three-dimensional printers and laser-cutting machines, providing hardware support for students' innovation.
Xining is a high-altitude city in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, where physical activity can be challenging due to lower oxygen levels. The student Song Yunyan developed a school uniform, which can supply oxygen through a miniature bio-enzyme oxygen generator embedded in the collar.
The project won the first prize at the Qinghai Youth Science and Technology Innovation Competition and has submitted an application for a utility model patent.
During the process, the student not only enhanced her innovation ability, but got a deep understanding of the significance of IP protection, Dang said.
He emphasized IP education must be grounded in three pillars: the school's characteristics, regional conditions and an open ecosystem.
"We need to break the barriers between campus and society, enabling IP education to move beyond 'small classrooms' and connect with 'a bigger stage', and in this way, it can take root, thrive and bear fruit," Dang said.
The Xining school is not alone; it is one of many pioneering initiatives across the country.
China has seen remarkable progress in IP education at primary and middle schools, with an increasing awareness and a growing diversity in education content, a CNIPA official said at the training.
During this year's National IP Publicity Week in April, a variety of activities were held across the country, creating an atmosphere of innovation and creativity.
East China's Shandong province organized IP-themed debates and mock trials, while South China's Hainan province did a livestream to popularize legal knowledge among teenagers.
IP education has evolved beyond traditional textbooks, extending into formats such as educational videos, cartoons, exhibitions and study tours that make it more accessible and memorable for children, the official said.
Meanwhile, the team of IP educators has become stronger, marked by a bigger size and enhanced capabilities.
Based on the China intellectual property distance education platform, the CNIPA organizes free online training for IP teachers in primary and middle schools every year. Experts from the education and IP fields, as well as outstanding teachers, are invited to share educational theories and teaching experience.
Over the past three years, more than 17,000 full-time and part-time IP teachers in primary and secondary schools have received training, according to the CNIPA.
Exemplary regions
The Tianjin Intellectual Property Office has integrated youth IP education into Tianjin city's IP development plan. It is working with multiple departments such as the education commission and the science and technology bureau to pool resources and funds for the cause.
Supported by the office, Tianjin Experimental Primary School has established a science and technology center and made great strides in international cooperation.
In 2019, it formed a partnership through the "China-US 1,000 Schools Hands Together" initiative. Students from the two countries have jointly launched a cross-border planting program based on internet of things technology, catching a glimpse of smart agriculture through hands-on experiences.
Another highlight is Liuzhou city in South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, which integrates youth IP education with local industries and culture.
The city has launched study tours based on GI products such as luosifen, or river snail rice noodles, Rong'an kumquats and Sanjiang tea. By visiting intelligent factories and experiencing cutting-edge technology, students can have a better grasp of the value of GIs and IP rights, local officials said.
Central China's Hubei province regards IP education as a foundation for cultivating innovative talents.
In 2023, the Hubei provincial government, for the first time, included IP work in the supervisory incentives for cities and prefectures. It also incorporated primary and middle schools' performance in IP education pilot programs as an assessment indicator.
Since 2018, a total of 12,000 students from Shanghai have participated in remote courses offered by the World Intellectual Property Organization, and obtained certification.
The city holds the Exhibition of Shanghai Youth Science and Technology Invention Achievement at the China (Shanghai) International Technology Fair every year, aimed at increasing teenagers' consciousness about innovation and IP rights protection.
This year's exhibition showcased 43 excellent inventions, 17 of which have won patents or are in the application process.
These include an intelligent mobility aid for the elderly, invented by the high school student Chen Zeqin. The invention stands out with its five major functions such as intelligent fall prevention and vital sign monitoring, ensuring seniors' safety through pressure sensors and GPS technology.
Chen shared his innovation journey at the fair and signed a patent licensing agreement with a medical device company from Jiangsu province.
"Technological innovation is not out of reach for our teenagers. We can also create useful inventions through our observation, thinking and teamwork," said the exhibitor Shen Jingyao from a middle school in Jiading district, who invented a multifunctional cooking machine with his classmate.
Joint efforts
IP education in primary and middle schools requires the joint effort of society. Its success must be underpinned by a robust collaborative ecosystem, which positions schools and IP authorities as the core and extends to communities, industry associations, enterprises and other key stakeholders.
Founded in 1992, the Xi'an Association of Invention has been committed to serving the public good in the IP sector and promoting innovation across the capital city of Shaanxi province.
Focusing on teenagers, the association has set up a characteristic IP education model to enhance their innovation awareness and foster IP culture.
The model involves five key initiatives: creating innovative courses, forming a team of IP-savvy educators, launching educational programs, establishing supportive platforms, and expanding publicity efforts.
The association is now operating a nonprofit IP consulting room in partnership with the Shaanxi Library, which provides face-to-face free consultation services every Monday afternoon.
The two sides will integrate resources and leverage each other's strengths to increase innovation awareness among the youth and unlock their innovation potential, Qiu Xiaoli, head of the association, said at the consultation room's launch ceremony in April.
According to Qiu, the association has also launched a "sci-tech innovation youth" initiative, which recruits dozens of teenagers every year, offering them professional mentors and sci-tech activities to cultivate their spirit of exploration and comprehensive abilities.
Under the initiative, about 55 students visited the Xi'an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in May.
During the tour, the researcher Zhang Changchang led the children into a "magic world" of optical telescopes, and they gained an understanding of some physics and chemistry principles through a series of experiments.
Data from the association showed that it has held more than 70 IP-themed activities during the past two years, covering over 30 primary and middle schools, and benefiting nearly 30,000 students and teachers.
Among the most representative companies is the Danish toy giant Lego. Since 2019, the company has provided IP lectures and workshops for more than 1,300 students and 600 residents in over 10 Chinese cities, in collaboration with the newspaper China Intellectual Property News.
During a workshop held in Shanghai's Putuo district in October, the company's IP counsel shared the origin of Lego's trademark. Meanwhile, local children participated in interactive games, learning knowledge about trademarks and other IP basics.
"Protecting trademarks is not just about protecting consumer rights but the innovation capacity of the society. Through activities close to consumers' daily lives, we hope to support the publicity and education of IP protection, contributing our efforts to a more favorable environment for innovation," said Robin Smith, vice-president and general counsel for China and the Asia-Pacific region of Lego Group.
