Intellectual Property

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Definition

Intellectual Property whether defined as pre-existing Intellectual Property or that intellectual property created in the course of and arising from the conduct of the Research Project means copyright and all neighbouring rights, all rights in relation to inventions (including patent rights), plant varieties, registered and unregistered trademarks (including service marks), registered designs.

QUT's Position

As a University that values excellence in teaching and research, QUT encourages its staff and students to generate and share knowledge that will provide social, cultural and economic benefit. It is essential that staff and students communicate and engage in discussion freely and without inhibition in the process of acquiring, generating and disseminating this knowledge. Within this environment, there is the opportunity to develop certain works for their commercial value, as well as for their overall contribution to knowledge.

A strong intellectual property protection regime at QUT (managed by qutbluebox, the commercialisation company for QUT) is central to building a strong innovative system that recognises the value of all new knowledge and that facilitates the best delivery of this to the benefit of the University, including staff and students, and to the wider community. Through more strategic use of intellectual property rights, QUT will have scope to enhance its reputation and to access revenue streams, royalty benefits, or equity shares for the University and its researchers. At the same time, QUT will ensure that academic freedom of discussion and sharing of knowledge needs to be protected by applying this policy in a timely fashion and in a consultative framework.

QUT's ability to develop new ideas and then move quickly to apply them creates a reinforcing cycle of opportunities, investment and rewards that can be shared by individuals and research teams. An entrepreneurial approach is needed to harness the full cycle of benefits from the University's endeavours through commercialisation, where this is appropriate.

The success of the University in reaching its innovation goals depends on intellectual property creators understanding and actively participating in the process of identifying, protecting, developing and, where appropriate, commercialising intellectual property. Creators who appreciate and work within this policy will benefit from having their contribution to QUT's valuable and unique intellectual property acknowledged and protected and they will gain direct financial rewards when intellectual property with an economic value is commercialised appropriately.

This policy provides the framework for QUT to identify, protect, develop and commercialise valuable intellectual property created in the University. Read more about QUT's Intellectual Property Policy.

QUT's response to ARC Linkage Round 2, Question 7.3 - IP and commercialisation of research