From the Trenches of IP Education in China

It is great when practitioners of IP law in China share their knowledge with the next generation. Mr Stan Abrams, working at DLA Piper in Beijing made time for teachting at Central University of Finance and Economics (a co-operation programme between Cai Da, the University of Maryland and the University of Maastricht). Mr Abrams’ students are from the US, EU and China. Average classes are about 20 students. The IP lectures are part of a “China legal issues” class that includes a lot of other stuff. IP was five hours.

IP Dragon asked Mr Abrams about the educational goal he wants to achieve.
Mr Abrams: “I wanted to impart some practical lessons instead of just repeat what the law provides for. I also wanted to relate current law and legal reform to economic development policy and politics. I think there is a strong correlation between the two and can tell us where things are heading. Finally, I also wanted to give them not only the practitioner’s perspective, but also that of foreign companies doing business in China, i.e., my clients.”

Hear hear for this lofty goal. And for those who cannot attend Mr Abrams’ classes, tune in at his excellent blog China Hearsay.

UPDATE: IP Dragon had contact with Mr Daniel J. Mitterhoff, Director, CUFE-Maryland-Maastricht, the Collaborative Law Student Exchange Program. Thank you Mr. Mitterhoff for adding the following information:

Our program at the Law School of Central University of Finance and Economics (CUFE) is currently entitled the CUFE-Maryland-Maastricht Collaborative Student Exchange Program. Its long term mission is to create a bilingual learning environment (if not a bilingual law school) with students from around the globe participating. In the short term, it works like this: Students from University from Maryland School of Law and Maastricht University Faculty of Law come to CUFE in the autumn semester. They are grouped with students from CUFE, most of whom have already be designated to visit Maryland and Maastricht in the spring semester. This year we also have students from other schools visiting China, but they are not part of the exchange. The students study together and even conduct joint research.