Intellectual Property Policy

Intellectual Property Policy for Visiting International Student Internship & Training (VISIT) Placements at the University of Washington

As a VISIT student intern, you may have access to University non-classified research facilities, or you may have opportunities to participate in some University research projects. Such activities may carry with them obligations regarding intellectual property (IP), including patents, copyrights, and confidential information. For example, a University research project supported by funding from a private company typically is subject to contractual requirements that the University offer the sponsor the right to license any IP arising from the research. Similarly, research supported by the U.S. government may be subject to a grant condition that the University will provide the federal government with certain IP rights. Your participation in any such project is contingent upon your agreement to comply with the University’s obligations to its sponsor(s). This is important for you to consider because you may have existing IP obligations to your home institution or others. It is your and your faculty sponsor’s responsibility to avoid conflicts between your responsibilities to the University of Washington and your responsibilities to other organizations. If you or your faculty sponsor have questions about how to fulfill these responsibilities, please contact CoMotion, the office with oversight of IP rights and obligations at the University of Washington.

Prior to beginning any work at the University as a VISIT student intern, you will need to identify and report any IP rights or obligations to your home institution that may conflict with your obligations while working at the University to your University of Washington sponsor. As a VISIT student intern, you will be required to disclose to UW CoMotion all intellectual property developed in association with a University research project or through the use of University resources. UW CoMotion will evaluate such disclosures to determine whether the University has an ownership position or other financial interest in the IP and whether the disclosed IP is the subject of obligations to third parties. If necessary, UW CoMotion will coordinate its evaluation with your home institution.

You agree to cooperate with UW CoMotion in making such ownership determinations, and, if UW CoMotion concludes the University has an ownership interest in the disclosed IP, you agree to execute assignments or other documents as requested by UW CoMotion. If the University claims ownership through your contribution, and if the disclosed IP is commercialized, either you or your home institution may be eligible for revenue sharing according to University policy, which may be revised from time to time.

If you have questions about any of the above, please talk with your UW faculty sponsor or CoMotion.