Cc-uk mailing list

[Bernard Hurley <bernard AT fong-hurley.org.uk>]

Jonathan Mitchell wrote:
> David Berry wrote: "Academics *technically* do not own
> the copyright to their own work as they are designated as employee's
> of the University, as I am sure you are all well aware, therefore the
> employer owns their intellectual property . " Christian Ahlert wrote:
> "almost all universities, I am aware of, have chosen to put into their
> employment contracts that they own their employees intellectual work".
> 
> I am not an academic, but I question whether this corresponds to general UK
> practice, or whether UK universities generally claim these rights.
> 
> For example, these are the first six UK university results I found on
> googling 'academic copyright university contract "intellectual property"' :
> 
> 1. Liverpool : "the University does not intend to assert ownership of
> copyright in books, articles, lectures and artistic works, other than those
> specifically commissioned by the University".
......
> 
> Is there an AUT position on this?
> 
I have no idea if the AUT has a position on this. However I was involved
about seven or eight years ago  as a NATFHE rep. in contract
negotiations with West Herts College (a large FE college). I can't
remember the exact wording but their position on copyright was more or
less the same as Liverpool University's position. At the time I was lead
to believe that this was more or less "standard" in the academic world.

Bernard