Course unit for PhD students
Aim
This course aims at fostering awareness among PhD students and researchers about how to give proper value to their scientific research through intellectual property protection, technology transfer and economic and social impact growth.
The course is divided into 4 modules. Participants will learn theories and practical tools in order to make their research results innovative as well as useful for society and marketplace. This will be possible also through the creation of new business activities as well as the collaboration with businesses.
Learning objectives
At the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Understand the basic principles of intellectual property and identify the various forms of protection for research results (patents, copyright, branding, design ecc)
- Identify the importance of protecting intellectual property as a stimulus to foster innovation and valorisation of knowledge in the academic and industrial sectors.
- Know regulations and services offered by University in terms of intellectual property management and knowledge transfer support.
- Learn basic skills about valorisation and knowledge transfer, including licensing methods, collaboration with businesses and transfer of knowledge results into the market.
- Develop business skills, by exploring opportunities linked to the building of start-ups or academic spin offs in order to enhance research.
- Put acquired skills in to practice, through a business case based upon their research project, to be presented during a final workshop together with tutors from the Knowledge Transfer Office.
Course contents
Module 1 – What is Intellectual Property, why it is important to protect it and how to protect it
Main topic: the module aims at raising awareness among researchers and, in particular, PhD students, on the opportunities to protect intellectual property on research results, in order to promote their transfer towards the market for the benefit of society.
Learning objectives: students will learn about the main intellectual property rights and how they can protect their research results. They will also become aware of the importance to protect the outcome of their research that has a potential impact in terms of innovation and social benefits. Finally, they will become acquainted with the university rules on intellectual property management and with the services provided by the Knowledge Transfer Office to support transfer of research results towards market/society.
Plan of the Module:
Theoretical part: Fundamentals of Intellectual Property (IP), What is IP and why it is important to protect it, Intellectual Property Rights, the university IP Regulation
Practical part: How to search patent databases
Module 2 - Knowledge valorisation and technology transfer
Main topic: the module aims at raising awareness on the opportunities for valorising research results, with particular reference to transfer of Intellectual Property
Learning objectives: students will become aware of the importance to create economic and societal value out of their research, will learn how knowledge and technology transfer works and how Intellectual Property can be transferred to facilitate uptake of research results from businesses. Also, students will become acquainted on the services available at the Knowledge Transfer Office of the university to support knowledge valorisation and technology transfer.
Plan of the Module:
Fundamentals of knowledge valorisation and technology transfer: Why it is important to valorise knowledge; technology transfer, knowledge transfer and IP licensing; University services to support researchers in valorising their research results.
At the end of Module 2, students will be assigned the task to develop a business case starting from the results expected from their research project. The business cases will be discussed during the workshop in Module 4. The development of the business case will require about 16 hours of homework.
Module 3 -How to create a start-up or spin-off company
Main topic: the module aims at promoting entrepreneurship of PhD students and at providing knowledge and tools for creating a new company in order to valorise research results.
Learning objectives: students will become aware of the opportunities to valorise their research results through the establishment of a start-up or spin-out company. They will also get acquainted with the services available at the Knowledge Transfer Office and University Incubator to support entrepreneurship.
Plan of the Module:
The «entrepreneurial university» approach
University start-up and spin-off companies
University services supporting entrepreneurship
Module 4 – Workshop on business cases
Main topic: during the workshop participants will have the opportunity to present their business cases to the other students and to the trainers. Business cases will be discussed and suggestions for improvement will be provided.
Participants will have the opportunity to apply the knowledge acquired in the previous theoretical modules and will be stimulated to further exploit the opportunities to create value out
Assessment method: Esercitazione su business case (Modulo 4)
Teaching modes: In person
Duration: 12 hours
Available places: 40 participants
Period: February 10, 17, 24, 2026 and March 3, 2026, from 10.00 to 13.00.
Language of the course: English
Trainers: Module 1: Alessandra Baccigotti, Laura Camanzi, Module 2: Andrea Ravaioli, Elettra Fabbri, Module 3: Romina Kniaz, Nicole Monti(AlmaCube), Module 4: Alessandra Baccigotti, Laura Camanzi, Maria Grazia Fumo, Andrea Ravaioli, Romina Kniaz
Doctoral credits (DCs): 1.