Top MBA Programs Still Skip Required IP Training, New Report Finds

A new Center for Intellectual Property Understanding report says top U.S. business schools have expanded offerings on intangible assets and IP, but none require the topic for graduation. The finding matters as MBA students are expected to lead companies in an economy where most value sits in patents, trademarks, copyrights and other intangibles.

Why it matters: - MBA graduates are likely to manage major companies, transactions and finance decisions in a business economy dominated by intangible assets. - The report says that gap leaves future leaders less prepared to work with intellectual property, technology, legal and market specialists. - Ocean Tomo’s Intangible Asset Market Value analysis of the S&P 500 puts 92% of value in intangible assets.

What happened: - The Center for Intellectual Property Understanding released a 2026 update on IP education at the top 20 U.S. business schools. - The report found progress over the past five years, but no school surveyed requires an IP course or elective for graduation. - One-quarter of the schools surveyed offer no IP courses at all. - The report is titled “Intellectual Property Education at Leading Business Schools – 2026 Update Identifying Tools for Today’s Educators and Tomorrow’s Leaders.”

The details: - The 2025–26 dataset identified 30 qualifying offerings across 15 of the top 20 programs. - Those offerings included 9 dedicated IP courses, 14 substantial integrations and 7 limited modules. - Seven schools have a dedicated offering, including some housed outside the business school. - Five of the 15 schools with qualifying offerings still had no qualifying MBA course listed. - The report says the strongest programs use dedicated strategy courses, growth and innovation electives, and interdisciplinary commercialization programs to connect IP to business decisions. - The report says AI and data are making that capability more important. - The update notes that its criteria and sample differ partly from the 2021 report, so the figures describe the current state rather than a direct numerical trend. - Former IBM licensing executive and Philips chief IP officer Biran Hinman said the report highlights a lack of faculty with real operational experience.

Between the lines: - The report suggests business schools are treating IP as an optional specialty rather than a core management skill. - That matters because intangible assets now drive value creation, dealmaking and competitive strategy. - The report also points to a need for repeated exposure across core MBA subjects, not just stand-alone IP classes. - Discussions with seven IP academicians in the report emphasize sustained student interest, broader access and adaptation to AI.

What's next: - CIPU says the goal is a stronger foundation for MBA graduates who can recognize opportunity in intangible assets, protect valuable knowledge, negotiate access and connect innovation with commercial success. - The report argues for a layered approach that adds IP into established business subjects and expands specialist and experiential learning. - The 2021 and 2026 CIPU reports are available through the organization’s materials.

The bottom line: - Top business schools are adding IP education, but the report says they still are not making it a graduation-level requirement.