keele university code of practice on postgraduate research degrees

Annex B11: Ownership and management <strong>of</strong> intellectual property
1 During the course <strong>of</strong> a research degree at the University research students will
contribute to the generation <strong>of</strong> intellectual property e.g. patentable technologies,
design rights, copyright, including copyright in computer <strong>code</strong>, know-how, etc. As this
Intellectual Property is generated with the benefit <strong>of</strong> the University environment (this
includes resources, facilities and intellectual capital <strong>of</strong> the University) in all cases
(subject to 2 below) the University owns the Intellectual Property.
2 The exception to this occurs where students are sponsored by a third party (e.g.
company or charity) where contractually it has been agreed, prior to the start <strong>of</strong> the
degree, that the sponsor owns the intellectual property arising from the body <strong>of</strong>
sponsored work.
3 In the event <strong>of</strong> commercialisation <strong>of</strong> the intellectual property, the University agrees to
<strong>of</strong>fer the student a share in any financial gain in accordance with the University
Commercialisation Policy. Where appropriate students are required to notify the
University <strong>of</strong> the existence <strong>of</strong> any Intellectual Property, through the IP and Innovation
Manager (Research and Enterprise Services), and are required to complete an
Intellectual Property Disclosure form.
4 Students should not disclose commercially important intellectual property unless such
disclosure is covered by a confidentiality agreement, approved by the Research and
Enterprise Services. Students are encouraged to publish their work but where such
publications relate to commercially important intellectual property students must seek
advice from the IP and Innovation Manager (Research and Enterprise Services) prior
to publication.
COP on PGR Degrees, November 2011 65