Who owns the research data?
In normal circumstances, if you are the creator of your data, researchers and students at the University of Cambridge will retain intellectual property rights of research work conducted during the course of their employment.
This is in accordance with Chapter XIII of the University’s Statutes and Ordinances on Finance and Property.
Intellectual Property (IP) ownership
There is a difference between ownership of protectable IP and IP that is not protectable. Research data falls under the latter category:
University staff members own the work that they create in the course of their employment, e.g. research data. The University only reserves the initial right to patent protectable IP, not to the research data itself. The exception to this is where employees have agreed any third party rights for the data, for example to collaborators or funders.
Note that research data can be part of a broader invention, underpinning IP that could be protected. Please contact Cambridge Enterprise if you have any questions about this, as early on in your project as possible.
Are there any exceptions?
Exceptions to ownership of research data by a University employee would be if the contract with your funder or collaborator states otherwise.
For more advice contact the appropriate Contracts Manager at the Research Operations Office.