Disclosing your IP

We can help you protect your idea and find pathways to develop it further. Here’s how, when and why you must tell us about your Intellectual Property (IP).

Your obligations

You must disclose to the University any IP created that might:

  • Have commercial value
  • Solve a significant problem
  • Be made into a product or service.

This applies to honorary appointees and graduate researchers, as well as University staff.

If industry or government funds were used for your research, you might also have obligations and reporting requirements to the funding party.

Benefits of disclosing

When you disclose the IP to the University, the information remains confidential and does not compromise any future patent or other forms of protection.

It opens the door to University-provided business support services, programs and funding to help you explore the potential of your research. It could also eventually lead to the commercialisation of your discovery or creation.

This may involve initiating the IP protection process for your invention  and working to identify potential development partners.

IP creators, including graduate researchers, share 40 per cent of the proceeds from licensing the IP, net of costs incurred by the University to protect, maintain and commercialise it. Your faculty receives 40 per cent and the University receives the remaining 20 per cent.

When should I disclose IP?

The best time to tell us about your IP is early – ideally well before communicating your IP to anyone outside the University. The sooner you contact us, the sooner the IP assessment and protection process can start.

Starting early means it’s less likely you’ll be delayed in disclosing the IP publicly. This includes publishing, presenting at conferences or disclosing it in other ways.

It’s important to complete the disclosure well before revealing the IP through publications, poster sessions, conferences, media releases, other communications, or even verbally. We recommend allowing several months to protect the IP before publishing or talking to any external parties, especially prospective investors.

Tell us about your IP before you:

  • Publish
  • Present it at a conference
  • Send out a media release
  • Talk to anyone outside the University.

If you don’t, this may mean you can’t take your idea to market later.

How do I disclose IP?

As soon as you believe you have created IP which may have commercial application, complete the relevant IP Disclosure form.

An IP disclosure is a detailed description of your idea or creation. Choose between the standard Invention Disclosure Form or the form used for Copyright and Software Disclosure.

Before submitting the form, notify all other University co-creators of the IP about the disclosure and ensure they are satisfied with the content and accuracy of the submission.

What happens next?

Once we receive your IP Disclosure Form, we can help you protect your idea and find pathways to develop it further. Working with you, the Knowledge and Technology Transfer team will assess the IP and its commercial potential before making a recommendation to proceed, if appropriate.

The questions in relation to the IP at this stage include:

  • Impact potential: Why is it new and clever? Why hasn't it been done before?
  • Market opportunity: Does it solve a real-world problem with end-user benefits?
  • IP position: What is the nature of the intellectual property? Has it been published or disclosed?
  • Development stage: Do you have supporting data or proof-of-concept?
  • Ownership and rights: Who are the creators? Are there other collaborators?

If you have any questions, contact the University’s Knowledge and Technology Transfer team.

First published on 7 March 2023.

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