Posted 27/03/2014 by Beata Pedziwiatr

Response by Dave Jarman, Head of Enterprise Education, University of Bristol:

"University staff should be bound by Non-Disclosure Agreements as part of their contracts of employment – thus we’re great first points of contact to advise on the likelihood of IP protection. Also, you can achieve a lot by simply explaining the final outcomes of new innovation without actually revealing how it works. Talk to your university enterprise/commercialisation team."

Response by Kelly Smith, Head of Enterprise, University of Huddersfield:

"There are several different ways of protecting your idea which are covered here: http://www.ipo.gov.uk/

Also, speak to your University’s knowledge or technology transfer office. If your idea has emerged out of your PhD, the University may be able to help. You will also need to discuss who actually owns the idea you want to protect. Note that if you have presented your idea at an academic conference, it may already be public knowledge. Your University may also be able to provide template ‘non-disclosure agreements’ that you can use when speaking to others."