Your supervisor has indicated you are required to sign an agreement assigning your intellectual property rights to the University or a relevant third party prior to starting your research project (and if you have been awarded a scholarship, IP must be assigned before stipend payments can be made).
This is because your project:
- is subject to an agreement or activity involving the University and a third party e.g. industry placement or externally funded scholarship or research activity, or where confidentiality of the project is required;
- has, or is likely to have, clear potential for commercial exploitation;
- is likely to result in IP which is jointly created by your supervisor or other University staff or academic status holders;
- builds upon pre-existing University-owned IP; and/ or
- involves the creation of teaching materials for future use by the University
By now:
Next steps:
If you understand the requirements to assign to Flinders University your right, title and interest in the Project IP and you are comfortable to do so, you are welcome to sign the deed in wet ink (not electronically) and in the presence of a witness**, and return it to the Office of Graduate Research, either as a scanned copy via email or original delivered to the Office of Graduate Research, Level 1 Registry Building, Bedford Park Campus.
If you have any questions about this matter, please submit an AskFlinders request.
** Please note: a witness must:
- be over 18 years of age;
- be of sound mind;
- not be under the influence of drugs;
- not be a party to the document or have any financial interests in the document ie Flinders staff cannot be your witness; and
- have known you for at least one year or have taken reasonable steps to verify your identity i.e. viewing official documents (e.g. drivers licence etc.).
If you have any questions about this matter, please contact gradresearch@flinders.edu.au.
