Intellectual property is an increasingly important generator of economic, social and cultural growth and development. A clear understanding of the intellectual property system has, therefore, become a necessity for all those associated with creative and innovative endeavor – from policymakers and business executives to educators and archivists, as well as artists and inventors themselves. A solid grasp of the mechanics of the system and a keen awareness of its enormous potential and power are key in leveraging the opportunities it offers – at all levels.

It is for these reasons that enhancing intellectual property education, in order to meet the growing need for informed and effective personnel trained in the field, has become one of the main challenges of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). In 1998, the WIPO Worldwide Academy took up the task of implementing the Organization's new program of intellectual property education, geared to human resource development. Since then, the scope, content and diversity of that program has expanded considerably, including the holding of several global symposia, often in collaboration with like-minded institutions, to examine intellectual property education and encourage the sharing, at international level, of the valuable experience in the field acquired by academics around the world.

In 2005, speakers at one of those symposia encouraged the Academy to consider preparing a publication that would showcase the best in intellectual property curricula and teaching methods. This book, the fruit of almost two years of preparation, is the response to that challenge.