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Virtual Classroom

Copyright – the Basics 

Learn the basics of copyright, rights and licensing with this introductory course for anyone who needs to understand and work with copyright.
DATES

1.10.2026

TIME

9.00am–12.30pm

FORMAT

Virtual classroom via Zoom

WHAT'S INCLUDED

  • 1 training session
  • Completion certificate
  • CIEP membership upgrade

PRICE

£245 + VAT

See available discounts
Looking for training for your team?
This course is also offered as Team Training for organisations.

Why should I take this course?

With so many media and the rise of AI, it is more important than ever to know who has the rights to content and who can exploit it.
Copyright – the Basics gives an overview of how copyright works within the publishing industry. The focus is on UK law, with a brief review of how it operates on a European and international level. The course also refers to current developments and emerging challenges in the field including the impact of artificial intelligence on copyright.

This half-day course covers ownership of print and digital copyright – what rights copyright provides, how rights may be licensed, what you can do with other people’s copyright-protected work, and current issues. There will be time for discussion and questions during the course. Course content is regularly updated to keep pace with changing laws and uses real-life cases and examples.

The course is ideal for anyone who works with copyright in their role, or is interested in the topic. It will increase your understanding of, and confidence in discussing, copyright issues. With legal fees often costing £300 per hour or more, it represents excellent value for money.
Benefits

Control how you learn and progress

Who is it for?

Anyone who is involved in the creation and publication of copyright material and use of services and content online. This includes:
  • editorial assistants or editors
  • marketing assistants, executives or managers
  • publicity assistants, executives or managers
  • rights assistants, executives or managers
  • social-media assistants, executives or managers
  • website assistants, editors, executives or managers.

Learning outcomes

On completing this course you will:
  • understand how rights in content are created and owned
  • understand how ownership of work can be protected
  • secure the rights needed for particular exploitation
  • understand the relevance and importance of certain contractual clauses
  • understand when permission is needed for use of material
  • understand when consent is needed for use of personal data.

Programme

The half-day session covers:

  • What copyright protects – regulations, economic and moral rights, originality
  • Ownership of copyright – law, length
  • Copyright licences – Crown copyright, Creative Commons, contractual
  • Infringements – and how to remedy them
  • Non-infringements – exceptions, fair dealing, fair use
  • Current situation – personal data, online, social media, Brexit
Details

What you need to know

Delivery

The course is broken down into 2 x 1½-hour sessions, with a break in between. It will run during the morning from 9.00am to 12.30pm. Any information to be completed beforehand will be sent via email.

Zoom

You will need to activate a free Zoom account to join the course. This takes 2 minutes and does not require any payment. It is purely for administrative purposes.

Chartered Institute of Editing & Proofreading (CIEP) membership upgrade

Completing this course counts towards the continuing professional development (CPD) requirement of a CIEP membership upgrade. For more information about upgrade criteria, visit the CIEP Membership Upgrade Hub.

Certificate

Upon completing the course you will receive a certificate from the Institute of Publishing.

Accessibility

Please contact us with any accessibility or special requirements, for example having in-session captions or the learning materials sent to you in advance.

Team Training

This course is available for in-house training, delivered either virtually or at your offices. The content can be tailored to meet your organisation's requirements.

What our students say

I thoroughly enjoyed the course. It was extremely engaging and I’ve gained a much clearer understanding of the subject

Delegate, Harriman House (in-company training)

A very enjoyable course and expertly delivered. I have a better understanding of how to challenge clients’ views on rights in the area we work in.

Delegate, News Licensing

What our students say

I have a more thorough understanding of the basics of copyright law and now feel confident about what I need to look for, and where, if I encounter a potential copyright issue. It's also helpful to have the slides for future reference.

Delegate, Scottish Qualifications Authority

I enjoyed the quizzes which made it more interactive, and the use of accessible user-friendly examples. I’ve learned about the need to be aware that copyright is an issue and to ask questions where I'm not sure – and the answer always depends!

Delegate, Kapow Primary

What our students say

The course was excellent – [the tutor] was an expert, a fantastic presenter! So much information, a good balance of information, questions and interactivity. Really liked the summary of key points. I’ve gained a basic understanding of current copyright issues and the confidence to advise people.

Delegate, Harriman House Publishers

I loved the course! The trainer showed that copyright can be fascinating and fun, and the creative examples (like Darth Vader or the Eiffel Tower) really helped me to visualise complex concepts. The course was well-structured, with a good amount of 'pop quizzes' and 'breaks' to make the lessons more digestible. I now have a better understanding of copyright issues.

Delegate, Mac Keith Press

About the trainer

Zeynep Kavcar Penbegullu

Trainer
ABOUT ZEYNEP KAVCAR PENBEGULLU
Zeynep Kavcar Penbegullu holds an LLB and an LLM in Private Law from Turkey, an LLM in International Commercial Law from City, University of London, and a PhD from the Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Queen Mary University of London.

In 2019, she founded Pax Legal and Consultancy Ltd, providing consultancy services, including a research project for the UK Intellectual Property Office. She is currently a Teaching Associate at Queen Mary University.