Office of Research Principles for Industry-University Agreements - Office of Research

Principles for Industry-University Agreements

The established fundamental parameters for negotiating agreements with external parties to address rights and obligations associated with future university research results were established in 1999, and are based upon the following principles:

“For university relationships with external parties to succeed, agreements must address the parties’ interests in future research results through flexible application of fundamental principles to a broad range of specific circumstances. Rights and obligations associated with future research results shall be based on the following principles:

  1. Open Dissemination of Research Results and Information
    Agreements with external parties shall not abridge the ability of university researchers to disseminate their research methods and results in a timely manner. The most fundamental tenet of the university is the freedom to interpret and publish or otherwise disseminate research results in order to support the transfer of knowledge to others and maintain an open academic environment that fosters intellectual creativity.
  2. Commitment to Students
    Agreements for research relationships with external parties shall respect the university’s primary commitment to the education of its students.
  3. Accessibility for Research Purposes
    Agreements with external parties shall ensure the ability of university researchers to utilize the results of their research to perform future research.
  4. Public Benefit
    Agreements with external parties shall support the ability of the university to make available for the public benefit in a diligent and timely manner any resulting innovations and works of authorship.
  5. Informed Participation
    All individuals involved in research governed by a university agreement with an external party shall have the right and responsibility to understand the rights and obligations related to future research results embodied within the agreement.
  6. Legal Integrity and Consistency
    Commitments concerning future research results made in agreements with external parties shall be consistent with all applicable laws and regulations and the university’s contractual obligations to others.
  7. Fair Consideration for University Research Results
    Agreements with external parties shall provide fair consideration to the university and the general public for granting commercial access to future university research results.
  8. Objective Decision-Making
    When establishing or conducting university relationships with external parties, decisions made about rights to future research results shall be based upon legitimate institutional academic and business considerations and not upon matters related to the personal financial gain of any individual.”

We are committed to effectively and efficiently managing industry-university research collaborations, with the appropriate, authorized representatives of both parties, to advance the mission of the university. The University of California is a public trust, administered by The Regents of the University of California, a California constitutional nonprofit corporation. All contracts are issued in the university’s legal, corporate name: “The Regents of the University of California”. Though initial discussions most often begin between industrial sponsors and university faculty or research staff, authority to solicit, negotiate, and execute agreements involving research on the behalf of The Regents of the University of California is delegated to specific officials on campus. Numerous campus offices oversee the oversight and compliance of university policy relating to these transactions.