Secondary lesson: Don't believe everything you get told on a course.
I did a degree in Computer Science, and if I had £1 for everything I learned which subsequently turned out to be utter bollocks in a real-world context, then I could probably get some new decks.
Academics know stuff, but they're far from authoritative. What's the saying? Those who can, do...
If you want to know more about what is actually the case with UK copyright, check the patent office website. Horse's mouth and all that.