Learn from the Past, Create the Future: New WIPO series for young people

Combining fun with facts, and packed with examples, the publication takes its young readers on a colorful journey through the world of inventions and patents. Easy-to-follow explanations of how patents work, why we need them, and how they contribute to scientific and technological progress are interspersed with the stories behind successful inventions, and young inventors who have patented and commercialized their ideas. Inventor Profiles are drawn from around the world, and teachers are encouraged to supplement these by getting their students to research inventions from their home country.

"Young people are our future," said WIPO Deputy Director General Rita Hayes. "They are the creators - and the consumers - of tomorrow. Developing a sustainable IP culture must include providing them with positive and informative messages about IP. This new series is a step in that direction."

Geared towards students from 8 to 14 years old, the publication takes the form of a self-contained workbook, which can be freely photocopied for classroom use. Taking a hands-on approach, it teaches the theoretical through the practical, and IP concepts through case studies. To play the PCT Detective game, for example, students learn to search WIPO's online PCT database for patent applications corresponding to a given description. "Think about it" boxes pose questions to provoke...