Intellectual Property (IP) Policy
Below is the University's Intellectual Property (IP) Policy. A PDF version of this policy is available Intellectual Property Policy.
| Version control information heading | Details |
|---|---|
| Owner | Pro Vice Chancellor Research and Innovation |
| Author | Head of Commercial Innovation, RaIS |
| Approved by | Senate (via Chair's Action) |
| Date of approval of this version | 17 February 2026 |
| Next review date | February 2029 |
| Version number | 1.3 |
| Applicable statutory, legal, or national best practice requirements |
Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 Competition and Markets Authority: UK higher education providers – advice on consumer protection law, May 2023 |
| Equality impact assessment completion date | 16 May 2023 |
| Data protection impact assessment completion date | No DPIA needed due to nature of policy proposal |
1. Introduction
1.1 Intellectual Property (IP) is central to the University’s purpose. Staff, researchers and students contribute to this mission through the development of original works, inventions, scholarship and creative outputs.
1.2 The University is committed to ensuring that the rights and interests of creators are respected, while also safeguarding the University’s responsibilities in managing and supporting the protection, use and commercialisation of IP generated within the institution.
1.3 This Policy sets out the principles governing the ownership, management and exploitation of IP arising from employment, study or research conducted under the auspices of the University.
2. Scope
2.1 This policy applies to all staff: see paragraph 5.1.
2.2 This policy applies to all Undergraduate and postgraduate taught students: see paragraphs 5.2-5.4.
2.3 This policy applies to all postgraduate research students the University’s stance on ownership of intellectual property is more comprehensively set out in a separate policy: the Intellectual Property and Postgraduate Research Students Policy: see paragraphs 5.5-5.7.
2.4 The remit of the policy is specifically around Intellectual Property generated during time working for or studying at the University.
2.5 The intellectual property of which ownership is claimed or otherwise as set out in section 5 includes:
2.5.1 patentable and non-patentable inventions;
2.5.2 works generated by computer hardware or software owned or operated by the University;
2.5.3 videos, multimedia works, films, sound recordings, typographical arrangements and other works created with the aid of University facilities;
2.5.4 registered and unregistered designs, plant varieties, genetic modifications and topographies;
2.5.5 any works not included in paragraphs 2.5.1-2.5.4 above commissioned by the University;
2.5.6 databases, spreadsheets, firmware, courseware and related material not within 2.5.1-2.5.5 above, if the University considers it to possess commercial potential;
2.5.7 know-how and information associated with any of the above.
3. Glossary
3.1 Intellectual Property: The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) defines intellectual property as creations of the mind, such as inventions; literary and artistic works; designs; and symbols, names and images used in commerce.
4. Responsibilities
University Executive Team
4.1 The Executive Board will have over-sight and final approval of the policy.
Managers
4.2 Senior Management will have an awareness, oversee, and implement the policy. Line Managers will be aware and abide by the policy.
Employees
4.3 Employees will abide by the policy.
Students
4.4 Students, where applicable, will abide by the policy.
5. Policy statements
Staff etc.
5.1 The University through the provision of the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988, claims ownership of all intellectual property as specified in paragraph 2.5, which is devised, made or created:
5.1.1 by persons employed by the University in the course of their employment;
5.1.2 by those engaged in study or research at the University who have agreed that this condition shall apply to them;
5.1.3 by certain persons, under prior agreement, engaged by the University under contract for services during the course of or incidentally to that engagement.
Undergraduate and postgraduate taught students
5.2 The University acknowledges that where intellectual property is created solely by a student during their time studying at the University, this would ordinarily belong to them under the general law.
5.3 The University undertakes not to assert any rights on intellectual property generated by postgraduate taught students or to undergraduate students in the course or related to their studies.
5.4 University assistance may, however, be available to those students if they wish to pursue exploitation of this intellectual property in which case the rights may be more appropriately assigned to the University, or the rights shared under a specific arrangement. and any intellectual property created during the course of study by an undergraduate or postgraduate taught student will belong to the student.
Postgraduate research students
5.5 In relation to postgraduate research students, a number of factors such as staff input, use of equipment or existing data, funding sources etc. make the ownership of intellectual property more complex.
5.6 In order to protect both its and the student’s interests, the University will, in the first instance, own any intellectual property created during the course of a postgraduate research student’s study at the University.
5.7 The University’s stance on ownership of intellectual property in relation to postgraduate research students is more comprehensively set out in the University’s Postgraduate Research Students and Intellectual Property Policy which includes the arrangements for the assignment of intellectual property rights back to students when it is appropriate to do so.
Exceptions
5.8 The University’s rights set out in paragraph 5.1-5.7 in relation to any specific piece of intellectual property may be waived or modified by agreement in writing with the person(s) concerned.
5.9 This may occur when intellectual property is not to be exploited by the University in which case the rights may be assigned to the inventor. However, it is expected in such agreements that the University retains the right to receive a revenue share of any net income if or when the intellectual property is exploited.
5.10 The University shall reward inventors of any exploited intellectual property by sharing any net income (that is, after the recovery of costs) from the commercialisation of its intellectual property first devised, made or created by those persons described. The proportion of this revenue share will be on a case-by-case basis. Individuals employed by the University to assist in the identification, protection and commercialisation of intellectual property will not receive any additional financial benefit for their involvement in this activity unless explicit approval is given by the appropriate University body.
5.11 The University undertakes not to assert any claim to the ownership of intellectual property rights in: books, articles, plays, lyrics, scores, artistic works, other than ones commissioned by the University unless the work is deemed important to the protection and exploitation of other intellectual property generated by these individuals in the course of their employment.
6. Implementation
6.1 The policy will be available on the University website.
6.2 The Commercial & Innovation Team in RaIS will make staff & students aware of the policy via the University website and as appropriate when in direct communication.
6.3 Information regarding the policy will be available via the new Staff employee information pack and the student contract.
7. Monitoring and review
7.1 This policy will be monitored by the University Commercialisation Group (UCG) and the University Executive Team.
7.2 In accordance with the University’s Policy Framework, this policy will be reviewed every three years.
8. Related policies and documentation
- Inventors Reward Policy
- Commercialisation Process Map
- Postgraduate Research Student and Intellectual Property Policy.