Intellectual property
Any tangible personal property that is created through
the intellectual efforts of its creator or creators is termed
intellectual property (IP). As a research student it is essential that
you have a clear undserstanding of issues related to respecting and
protecting intellectual property.
Methods for protecting and exploiting IP include
patents, copyright, trade marks, design, plant breeder's rights, trade
secrets and circuit layout rights. The most common form of IP affecting
postgraduate students is copyright.
Copyright
Copyright relates to the rights to ownership and
reproduction of the original expression of ideas. This includes
writing, images, films, multimedia, sound, websites and computer
programs. You will own the copyright in your thesis, allowing you to
copy or publish your own work.
You need to properly reference and acknowledge the use
of other people's work in your research and publications. In some cases
you may need to seek permission from the copyright owner to use the
work.
IP and commercial interests
Students who participate in research that is subject to
a research contract, or has commercial potential, are required to
assign any intellectual property they generate in the course of the
project to the University prior to commencing work on the Project.
If you receive assistance or information from funding
agencies and companies, confidentiality restrictions may affect your
thesis. Seek advice if using confidential information in your research.
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