Ownership of IP

The University IP ownership policy differs for staff, students and honorary appointees/visitors. We have summarised the different ownership scenarios below:

IP ownership and University staff

The University owns intellectual property generated by University staff in the course of or incidental to their employment. This is in accordance with legal principles and legislation governing employer-employee relationships. The position is further clarified in the University’s  policy.

In order to reward staff for their contribution to the development of intellectual property, the University has established mechanisms for sharing returns from exploitation of intellectual property with staff who have created that IP.

Scholarly Works

The University asserts ownership of IP, other than scholarly works, created by its staff. By ‘scholarly works’ the University means articles, books, musical compositions, creative writing or like publications or any digital or electronic version of these works. It does not include work that is 'teaching material' or any work that comes within the terms of the University’s intellectual property policy.

Teaching materials

'Teaching material' means all versions, whether digital or otherwise, of information, documents and materials created or used for the primary purpose of teaching and education at the University, including the permitted adaptation or incorporation of scholarship, learning or research for that primary purpose. This includes lecture notes that are made available to students, computer-generated presentations, course guides, overhead projector notes, examination scripts, examination marking guides, course databases, websites and multimedia-based courseware.

Duty of invention disclosure

Invention disclosure applies where something new and useful has been conceived and developed, where the IP may need protection and/or where the invention, technology, software or multimedia product has commercial potential. It does not apply to literary works, musical creations, or works of art. The University policy includes a mandatory requirement for staff to lodge an invention disclosure where:

  • the invention has the potential to be developed for commercial application, or
  • disclosure is a legal requirement specified in a third party agreement

IP Ownership and Students

Student owned IP

The University does not automatically own intellectual property developed by students. Students will generally own the intellectual property they develop during the course of their studies unless IP ownership is governed in some way by a third party agreement. Examples include research contracts, studentship agreements, and funding agreements.

Students and invention disclosure obligations

Invention disclosure applies where something new and useful has been conceived and developed, where the IP may need protection and/or where the invention, technology, software or multimedia product has commercial potential. It does not apply to literary works, musical creations, or works of art.

IP ownership and honorary appointees/visitors

In relation to honorary appointees and visitors, the University only asserts ownership of IP which is 'teaching material' or has been made using University resources. However, honorary appointees and visitors have a responsibility to identify, disclose, protect, manage and, where appropriate, be involved in the commercialisation of IP.

Teaching materials

'Teaching material' means all versions, whether digital or otherwise, of information, documents and materials created or used for the primary purpose of teaching and education at the University, including the permitted adaptation or incorporation of scholarship, learning or research for that primary purpose. This includes lecture notes that are made available to students, computer-generated presentations, course guides, overhead projector notes, examination scripts, examination marking guides, course databases, websites and multimedia-based courseware.

Please contact Mel Anderson at melville@anderson@glasgow.ac.uk or alternatively telephone him on 0141 330 4266 for further information.