Postgraduate Course: Innovation: Law and Policy (LAWS11532)
Course Outline
| School | School of Law |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course is designed for students seeking a critical understanding of innovation, intellectual property and the law. Specific topics covered will vary from year to year. Among other issues, it considers how societies are responding to the challenges and opportunities presented by emerging technologies such as generative AI, online platforms, big data, internet of things, robotics, and blockchain, among others. It explores how innovation processes enabled by these technologies are governed, drawing from relevant fields such as IT law, intellectual property law, data protection law, and others. It also provides scope to address further contemporary debates and developments in the fields of innovation and intellectual property law. The course provides an opportunity to analyse and discuss a selection of current and topical issues, as well as the policy and regulatory responses that are emerging. |
| Course description |
This course is designed to foster a critical understanding of innovation, intellectual property and the law. Specific topics covered will vary from year to year. Among other issues, the course will examine the role of law in regulating and promoting new and emerging technologies. It provides an opportunity to explore a range of perspectives on cutting-edge issues of high societal relevance, with including the complex interplay between technological innovation and policy and regulatory responses. It also provides scope to address further contemporary debates and developments in the fields of innovation and intellectual property law. To reflect this approach, the course will be jointly taught by a team of lecturers with expertise in different areas of the subject. Students will undertake a critical and interdisciplinary exploration of innovation, intellectual property and the law. Students will also consider how societies respond to the challenges and opportunities posed by emerging technologies such as generative AI, online platforms, big data, internet of things, and blockchain. Drawing from various legal fields, including IT law, intellectual property law and data protection law, the course will also examine the governance of innovation processes and the evolving regulatory landscape. The course will provide students with a strong legal and conceptual foundation, enabling them to critically engage with the social, economic, and legal implications of technological advancements and other contemporary developments that affect innovation and intellectual property. It will also help students develop analytical and problem-solving skills while exploring real-world policy and regulatory debates. The course will examine the legal, ethical and regulatory issues in fields such as: artificial intelligence; data protection; information technology; the role of intellectual property in the context of innovation; online media and social media platforms.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2025/26, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: 30 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 20,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
176 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Students will write four blog posts (100%), with a total word count of up to 5,000 words (approximately 1,250 words per post), on four topics of their choice from those covered in the course, provided that:«br /»
- Each blog post focuses on a substantively different topic covered during the course; «br /»
- Two posts discuss topics in IT law (weeks 1-5), and two discuss topics in IP law (weeks 6-10). |
| Feedback |
In preparation for the summative assessment, students will be given access to bespoke materials on good blog writing techniques, as well as further training on blog writing as part of the 20 contact hours. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Explore the wealth of legal issues associated with tinnovation and intellectual property law.
- Develop a general understanding of the fundamental principles of international, European and UK policy and regulatory responses to issues associated with innovation and intellectual property law.
- Consider the wider socio-technical, social, and design contexts that intersect with legal aspects of innovation and technology.
- Understand the concepts and normative questions permeating IP law.
- Appreciate the variety of institutions involved in the field of regulation of innovation and understand their role and functions in policy making.
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Reading List
Relevant reading lists will be shared with the students on a weekly basis in advance of each seminar. In addition, foundational textbooks include:
- For the IT topics, C. Goanta, L. Edwards. L. Urquhart (eds), Internet Law and Policy (forthcoming 2026);
- For the IP topics, Brown et al, Contemporary Intellectual Property - Law and Policy (OUP, 6th edn, 2023) |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
- Research and inquiry skills, such as selecting and applying appropriate research methods
- Personal and intellectual independence, including the ability to critically evaluate the relevance and significance of primary and secondary sources.
- Communication skills, particularly in effectively summarising and conveying information and ideas in both oral and written form.
- Personal effectiveness, such as contributing constructively as part of an academic community.
- Technical and practical skills developed throughout the module, including constructing, supporting, and articulating a well-reasoned argument, as well as critically analysing opposing viewpoints. |
| Keywords | Innovation,Digital technologies,Intellectual property,Data protection,Artificial intelligence |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Morshed Mannan
Tel:
Email: morshed.mannan@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Hannah Ackroyd
Tel: (0131 6)50 2008
Email: hackroyd@ed.ac.uk |
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