Free online course on copyright awareness launched on World IP Day

The UK Intellectual Property Office supported the Association of Publishers of India in the creation of an awareness booklet and free online course on copyright. The toolkit (booklet and 15-minute course) was launched at an event organised by FICCI on 25 April to celebrate World IP Day. The toolkit was conceived as a key step in making end consumers, students and educators aware of what copyright is, and why it needs to be protected. A basic understanding of copyright and its importance for the economy has been seen to be quite low. This toolkit presents a great opportunity to generate awareness and build a positive perception of why copyright plays a key role for creative industries, of which India can proudly claim to be a key contributor – with one of the largest book publishing, film and music industries!

At the event, Jane Hedin of the UK IPO spoke about the fact that sensitization is seen as a key alternative approach to anti-piracy, which has historically been the focus of any copyright related activity in India and elsewhere in the world. Mr. Rohit Kumar (API) explained how to make use of the online course, and informed everyone that in the run-up to the creation of the Toolkit, several publishers (with UK IPO support) conducted copyright quizzes at customer and librarian meetings to explain the nuances of copyright.