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School of Law

BLACA Bursary Award

J.A.L. Sterling Postgraduate Bursary Award, supported by The British Literary and Artistic Copyright Association & The Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers, in cooperation with The Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Queen Mary University of London and The Dickson Poon School of Law, King’s College London

  • Course: Intellectual Property LLM
  • Number: one or more
  • Value: Up to £9,000 towards tuition fees
  • Home and overseas students
  • Deadline: midnight BST 23 July 2024

blaca and stationers company logosThe British Literary & Artistic Copyright Association, BLACA, is the UK national group of the International Literary and Artistic Association (ALAI) founded in Paris in 1878 under the Presidency of Victor Hugo. It provides a British forum for the examination of matters affecting authors’ rights and neighbouring rights.

The full designation of the Stationers' Company is The City of London Livery Company for the Communication and Content Industries. Through its Charitable Foundation the Company supports selected postgraduate courses that are related to a range of trades from paper, print, publishing, packaging, office products, newspapers, broadcasting and online media.

The BLACA-Stationers' Company Professor Sterling postgraduate bursary award scheme is designed in line with the institutional aims and objectives of the two awarding organisations. It aims to benefit candidates in the relevant cohort who can show commitment to developing professional and transferrable skills in the content industries.

Eligibility and Nature of Award

The award consists of one or more bursaries from a BLACA/Stationers' Foundation fund of up to £9,000 payable as a contribution towards the tuition fees of the successful applicant(s). To be eligible for an award a student:

  • must be enrolled during the academic  year 2024–2025;
  • must be enrolled for the Intellectual Property Law LLM, at Queen Mary University of London OR for the LLM in Intellectual Property and Information Law at King’s College London OR for the Postgraduate Diploma/MA in UK, EU and US Copyright Law at King’s College London;
  • must take the requisite minimum number of credits in specified modules as set out in Schedule A below.

Payment of an award will be made directly to the University following confirmation from Queen Mary or KCL that the student has elected to read the requisite minimum of credits in the specified modules.

Criteria and application procedure

The following criteria will be taken into consideration: academic merit, financial need and the quality of the application. Short-listed candidates will be required to provide documentary evidence to substantiate their financial needs and to give information about other sources that will support their participation in the chosen course. 

Applicants should submit their Curriculum Vitae, a short Statement of Motivation (maximum 600 words) and proof that they have been offered a place on to one of the qualifying courses listed above by email to:  

Mr Simon Clark 
BLACA Secretary 
BLACA / Stationers' Company Postgraduate Bursary Scheme 
simon.clark@bristows.com

Deadline: midnight BST 23 July 2024

Interview

Shortlisted applicants will be invited for interview in early August 2024.

Interviews may be conducted remotely or in person in London. The interview panel will include a member of the Stationers’ Company, two members of the BLACA Executive Committee and an academic from each of the Schools of Law of Queen Mary and KCL.

Offer and acceptance

It is open to BLACA and The Stationers Company to offer bursary awards of equal or unequal amounts and there is no obligation on BLACA and The Stationers’ Company to make any award in the absence of suitable candidates. Offers will be made within 14 days of interview and will be deemed to have been refused if not accepted within a further 14 days.

Expectations from the Award holder

As a Bursary award holder, the student will be automatically enrolled on the BLACA student mailing list for the academic year. We also expect the student to be a rapporteur at BLACA meetings which are held bi-monthly. Students will also be part of the Bursary mentor scheme where a senior member of the legal profession will be available for discussions and advice on current issues in copyright law. The Award recipient will be announced over BLACA’s social media. We hope that students will also take part in our post-award interview which we make available for future applicants. 

See interviews with the past holders of the award.

Schedule A: Choice of subjects

Queen Mary University of London

Students must take a minimum of 60 credits in the copyright-related modules listed below if taking the Intellectual Property Law LLM:

LLM Taught Modules

  • International and Comparative Copyright Law (30 credits)
  • Digital Intellectual Property (15 credits)
  • Music Industry Contracts (15 credits)
  • Intellectual Property and the Creative Industries (30 credits)
  • Dissertation (on an agreed copyright topic with Professor Suthersanen) (30 credits) 

King’s College London

Students will need to take a minimum of 60 credits on the LLM in Intellectual Property and Information Law in copyright related modules as stated below.

  • International and Comparative Copyright Law (30 credits)
  • Copyright and the Music Industry in the Digital Era (15 credits)
  • Commercialisation of IP (15 credits)
  • Dissertation (on a copyright law focussed topic) (40 credits)

Students enrolled on the Postgraduate Diploma in UK, EU and US Copyright Law will satisfy the minimum number of credits required.

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