What Is IPR University Center and Why Is It Needed?

The IPR University Center began its operations in 1999, and from time to time it is useful to remind ourselves what the institute does and why it is needed.

Intellectual Property Rights Are an Asset for Business and Society

Intellectual property rights (IPRs) play a key role in Finnish business, innovation, creativity and economic growth. Managing them is also essential as businesses become increasingly international. Patents, trademarks, copyrights, design rights, trade secrets and other intellectual property rights protect valuable assets of companies and organisations and enable the commercial exploitation of new technologies, products, services and creative work.

Digitalisation, artificial intelligence, the data economy and international competition have further increased the importance of IPRs. At the same time, IPR issues are becoming increasingly relevant across different industries and areas of society. A business does not need to be particularly creative or innovative for intellectual property rights to be relevant. For example, choosing a company name, naming manufactured products or provided services, and selecting software all involve intellectual property rights. In fact, it is difficult to identify an industry that is not affected by IPRs in some way. IP expertise is therefore not merely a legal matter, but closely connected to business, technology, research, culture, innovation and public policy, among other areas.

An increasing share of the value of companies consists of intangible assets. According to Ocean Tomo’s Intangible Asset Market Value Study, as much as 90% of a company’s total value may consist of intangible assets (source: https://oceantomo.com/services/intellectual-property-lifecycle-management/). Companies that make use of intellectual property rights achieve approximately 44% better financial performance than their competitors and pay wages that are more than 20% higher (source: https://www.euipo.europa.eu/fi/publications/firm-level-analysis-report-january-2025).

Finland needs strong and multidisciplinary IPR expertise, as well as close cooperation between academia, businesses, the public sector and other practitioners.

The IPR University Center helps build this connection.

IPR University Center Brings Together Research, Education and Practice

IPR University Center is a Finnish inter-university institute focusing on intellectual property rights. It currently has nine universities or higher education communities as members, representing the majority of Finnish universities. IPR University Center is located in Hanken School of Economics.

The institute’s mission is to coordinate and promote research, education and expertise in the field of intellectual property rights, as well as to strengthen cooperation and societal impact in the field. In this work, the institute is supported by the IPR University Center Association, which consists of major companies, law firms, patent firms and other practitioners. The Association strengthens cooperation between academia and professional practice. (More information about the Association can be found below.)

Through this operating model, the IPR University Center brings together academic research and the expertise of practitioners. It acts as a link between universities, businesses, the public sector, organisations and other actors in the field of IPR, creating a common platform for the Finnish intellectual property network. This enables research findings to be transferred into practice, while practical needs, in turn, help shape the development of research and education. The operating model of the IPR University Center is entirely unique on a global scale.

Education, Events and Information

The IPR University Center organises approximately 30 free webinars annually, as well as several larger training events, seminars and conferences. In addition, it offers networking events, online courses and webinar recordings. Events are organised both in Finnish and in English, with the latter in particular attracting participants from around the world.

Students and staff at member universities have extensive opportunities to make use of the educational offerings. Through the IPR University Center, it is also possible to find and invite visiting lecturers.

The aim of the educational activities is not only to provide up-to-date information but also to build connections between different fields and actors. IPR issues are often multidisciplinary, which makes dialogue between fields such as law, economics, technology, business and the creative industries particularly important.

Research and Project Activities

The IPR University Center plans, develops and implements various research, development and cooperation projects, as well as participates as a partner in projects led by other organisations.

An ongoing project is the ERDF-funded IPR – Innovaatiot Poikimaan Rahaa project. In addition, IPR University Center is actively preparing and applying for funding for new projects.

A key objective of the project activities is to combine research, practice and societal impact. The aim is to generate new knowledge, develop expertise and find solutions to current IPR-related challenges faced by society and businesses.

Societal Impact

IPR University Center also has an important societal role. It maintains a Finnish database of intellectual property case law, provides statements, responds to information requests and requests for studies, and actively participates in discussions and development within the field.

Experts from IPR University Center serve in a number of professional associations, working groups and other bodies in the field. Through these activities, IPR University Center also contributes to the development of the Finnish and European intellectual property systems.

IPRinfo – Information on Intellectual Property Rights

IPR University Center publishes the online journal IPRinfo together with IPR University Center Association. IPRinfo is an open-access publication providing up-to-date information on intellectual property rights, publishing expert articles and news, and highlighting Finnish IPR research and current developments in the field. If you are reading this article, you are in the right place!

IPRinfo online journal also serves as an important meeting point between researchers and practitioners. Research conducted at member universities gives readers the opportunity to follow the kind of IPR research being carried out in Finland and the issues currently being examined by researchers.

The journal welcomes articles, interviews and shorter blog posts on a wide range of topics related to the field. As a new feature, the website and Spotify also offer a video podcast series called IPRpodi.

The Editor-in-Chief of the journal is Heidi Härkönen, Docent in Fashion Law and University Lecturer at the University of Turku.

Extensive National and International Networks

The IPR University Center has extensive networks both in Finland and internationally. These networks are actively used to develop educational activities, conferences, research, projects and other forms of cooperation.

One of the key strengths of the IPR University Center is its ability to bring together actors who might not otherwise encounter one another: researchers, companies, legal practitioners, students, experts in technology and the creative industries, public authorities and other societal actors.

IPR University Center Association ry – The Supporting Association

IPR University Center Association ry is an association supporting the activities of IPR University Center. It currently has 37 Finnish member organisations, including major companies, patent and law firms, copyright organisations, public authorities and other actors in the field of IPR. The member organisations of the IPR University Center Association ry can be found here.

The purpose of the association is to support the activities of IPR University Center and strengthen cooperation between universities and working life. The member organisations form a significant Finnish network of IPR professionals.

The Association finances its activities through membership fees. Through their membership, member organisations receive benefits and discounts on IPR University Center services, as well as opportunities to participate in various training and networking events. In addition, the Association organises free trainings for its members to support their professional and workplace skills.

As mentioned above, the supporting association also publishes the IPRinfo online journal, which is edited by the IPR University Center.

The members of the Association actively participate in the development of the IPR field and in various working groups. Their expertise is used, for example, in planning education, projects and other forms of cooperation.

A significant part of the IPR University Center’s network of practical experts consists precisely of experts from the member organisations of the supporting association. In this way, the Association serves as an important bridge between academia and professional practice.

Look into the Future

The IPR University Center aims to further strengthen and expand its activities. One of its key objectives is to increase the number of member higher education institutions and, in the future, to provide high-quality and permanent IPR education more extensively to Finnish higher education institutions.

At the same time, the aim is to strengthen IPR research in Finland and increase its societal and economic impact. Finland needs more IPR professionals who understand the importance of intellectual property rights not only from a legal perspective but also in relation to society and business. Producing research-based knowledge and providing education in intellectual property rights are therefore vital to Finland’s competitiveness.

The IPR University Center Association ry also aims to expand its membership base. In particular, companies in the technology, banking and insurance, and food industries are sectors where intellectual property rights play a significant role, and their participation would further strengthen the Finnish IPR network.

A New Research Ecosystem Brings Researchers and Practitioners Together

IPR University Center is currently developing a new research and researcher ecosystem aimed at strengthening the societal impact of IPR research and its links to practical operating environments. The ecosystem is led by one of the IPR University Center’s directors, Professor Rosa Ballardini of the University of Lapland.

As part of the ecosystem, a research-focused working group will be established, bringing together academic researchers and practitioners. The aim is to foster greater dialogue between different actors, identify new research topics and projects, introduce practical perspectives into ongoing research, and support researchers in their work.

In the long term, the objective is to build an even stronger Finnish ecosystem for IPR research and expertise that serves academia, businesses and society as a whole.

Staff

The IPR University Center team consists of an Executive Director, a Head of Education (currently on parental leave), an Education Coordinator, three Co-Directors, a Deputy Director representing Hanken School of Economics, an IPR Specialist working on the ERDF-funded project, IPRinfo Editor in Chief and rotating trainees and researchers.

The contact details of the staff and information about their areas of responsibility can be found here.

Together, the staff, member universities and the member organisations of the supporting association form a network through which the IPR University Center fulfils its core mission: bringing together research, education and practical expertise in intellectual property rights and strengthening their significance in Finnish society.