Student IP and projects/placements

Best practice

Students will generally own the IP they create unless otherwise agreed, as per the University's Intellectual Property Policy. Consent is required for IP assignment and/or licensing.
Where an industry partner or a hosting organisation requires ownership of IP created by students, a direct agreement is usually required between the student and the industry partner to facilitate transfer.
University staff should set out expectations to industry partners when inviting them to participate in academic courses and/or projects, in particular that they will not have ownership or a right to use any IP created outside the WIL project / assessment/ studio unless they negotiate directly with the student/s involved.
Additionally, staff should not share student-created materials with industry partners outside the WIL project / assessment / studio or other activity for which they were created.
Where students build on existing IP, or work with confidential or proprietary information, provided by an industry partner or host organisation, students should be made aware of the requirements and limitations around this material.
Reuse options and/or rights retention should be considerations for students when making informed decision about assigning their IP, or granting consent for certain uses by industry partners. Students should ensure they retain sufficient rights to make use of any materials they create, for coursework/assessments, theses, and/or work portfolios.

More comprehensive information can be found in our guide to Students & Placements (PDF).

The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.