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Copyright for Staff

More information for staff about the copyright of teaching materials, how to ensure you are copyright compliant and the implications of copyright infringement. Click on a section to find out more.

Who owns the copyright of teaching materials?

The University is the first owner of the rights of any work made in the course of your employment, unless you have made an agreement to the contrary.

Whose responsibility is it to make sure everything is copyright compliant?

Responsibility for any infringement of copyright rests with the person making the copy. Although the University has a responsibility to ensure that staff and students are aware of copyright and comply with the law, it remains the responsibility of the person making the copy to ensure they do not infringe copyright. Guidelines and notices are available in all libraries (next to photocopiers) explaining the current regulations.

What are the potential risks of copyright infringement?

For you:

having to remove and/or re-work teaching materials
reputational damage within the University
financial penalties
possible breach of employment contract leading to disciplinary proceedings

For the institution:

removal of an entire resource
publishers restricting access to resources
financial penalties
reputational damage

If I request permission to use an item from a person but get no response can I use it anyway?

No. Getting no response does not automatically give you the right to use an item. Try sending a follow-up email, make a telephone call (if possible), or send a letter. Always make it clear that your request is for educational rather than commercial purposes.

Can I use material produced by my students without their permission?

Strictly speaking, in accordance with our IP policy a licence will already have been granted by the students to use their work for educational/teaching purposes. However, your students are unlikely to be aware of this, so it would be courteous to seek permission from the students prior to circulating their work. It would also be good practice to ask your students whether they wish to be credited for their work, or if they prefer their work to be anonymised. If your students want to be credited, we would recommend that they copyright their work [© Student’s Name, 2019. All rights reserved]. This should reduce the risk of their work being copied by other students.