Why Qatar University's Intellectual Management Policy is so Unique

Intellectual property is the creation of the mind which entails activities such as inventions, literary and artistic works, names and images used in commerce among others. A policy is supposed to come up with rules applying to ownership, distribution and also commercial rights to the intellectual property. The Qatar University is an intellectual and educational community characterized by the commitment to open discussion, exchange of ideas, productive debate, and rigorous inquiry .Qatar University has a reputable in Qatar and known for its high-level education. It has contributed enormously to the development of Qatar both economically and socially. This hub seeks to explain the intellectual property and the policy of Qatar University.

Qatar University’s policy of intellectual property is administered in three units. These units are the senior policy administration, technological transfer office, and the intellectual property advisory committee. The president of the university has the final say on matters relating to intellectual property. He represents the university in all issues relating to intellectual property through the faculty, staff, students, government, industry and public. The technological transfer office is mandated to identify, protect, and commercialize all University mind creations. The vice president of research has the responsibility of choosing and supervising a director for technological transfer office. In the intellectual advisory committee the vice president for research is endowed with a responsibility of appointing a five-member intellectual advisory committee that includes the technological transfer office director, who should not be the head of the appointed committee. The members are appointed annually.

The effects of the policy of ownership and rights to intellectual property shall be deemed as a term and condition of employment for every worker of the University. This is also a term and condition of enrollment and attendance at the University by Students, a term and condition of participation in any University research, or other use of University Resources by any person. Finally, this is also a term and condition for admittance by all others such as the visiting appointments, post-doctoral fellows, consultants, and research associates who may participate in research at the University from time to time.

As per the university regulations, when legal documents are required to be executed by the policy, the originators are given the duty to do so. It is the University only that has the right to enter into contracts pertaining the retention, ownership, licensing, accessing, and use of any right, title or interest in University creation’s of mind. An initiator of the mind creations does not have the mandate to has the power to allocate, license or get rid of any University Intellectual Property. The university community members will not have the power to contract in matters pertaining the intellectual property if they engage in activities outside that have conditions in conflict with the policy.

Qatar University has a copyright policy whereby; all the protected works which have been done by the students are considered as part of their projects, unless they have been brought in line with project management by a funding organization. Regarding accredited works and printed copies, the University can involve professionals and all the people employed in writing for publication or production of protected works as part of day-to-day duties and responsibilities. Unless it is approved otherwise early by the vice president, the university will be in possession and will be the owner of all such creations, but will be required to give and show a license upon being requested. Concerning notices, all the printed works owned by the institution should bear a protection notice that is written in accordance with the Qatar copyright statute. Materials possessed by the university will include the notice: ©(Years of publication)Qatar University. There should be no any other notification regarding a division, research center, and, or other institution unit can be used.

When it comes to confidentiality, all information intended to be secret will be kept in confidence to the extent it is needed to run the business effectively. The information can only be made known to the third parties under an agreement of non‐disclosure or if the vice president of research officially agrees. The university community should conform to the set guidelines when dealing with the confidential information. The procedures are; under terms of any ongoing research, any unprinted research results, any information relating to the ownership received from the third parties should be carefully handled with regard to capable patentability. Also, information given to the institution from the third party under any confidentiality agreement can only be made known within the institution to people on a need to know basis.

Disclosures of intellectual property states, originators shall with little or no delay and through writing disclose and assign each Invention except that of traditional scholarly output to the technological transfer office by submitting the confidential intellectual property disclosure form. Originators must ensure that they have not disclosed the information regarding any Invention to any third parties. There is a recognition that commercialization of any intellectual property will not always be appropriate because it is sometimes in best interests of knowledge transfer to place some or certain intellectual property in the public domain. If the originators believe that it is appropriate, they must request such an option from the technology transfer office director and shall receive written approval from the director prior to placing the intellectual property into the public domain.

On the subject of authorization and transactions, the technology transfer office will be responsible for any protection, commercialization, management and transfer of university intellectual property it believes to be of benefit to the University. Vice president of research will have the authority to sign all the Intellectual Property-related agreements on behalf of the university.

In disputes and appeals, when the originator has an objection to the university ownership he may appeal through writing to the university president, providing all relevant information and documentation necessary for fair resolution of the dispute. The president will forward the case to the vice president of research, or choose any other option in interest of fairness and equity, within seven calendar days of receiving the appeal. The vice president shall meet and consult with intellectual property advisory committee within thirty calendar days after receiving the appeal and recommend to the University President, whose decision on the matter shall be final.

Lastly, exceptions are that this policy will not be used to limit the institution’s capability in carrying out its duties and obligations for deliverables under any agreement, offer, or plans with third parties. The Policy will be reviewed upon the proposal of vice president for research, intellection property advisory committee or technology transfer office, and the approval of the university president