¶¡ÏãÔ°AV

This following message is posted on behalf of Dugan O’Neil, Vice-President, Research and Innovation.

Dear University Community,

To enhance innovation, creativity and transparency in research and teaching, we are proposing updates to ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV’s Intellectual Property (IP) Policy. The current policy, established over 20 years ago, requires modernization to align with leading practices and to reflect ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV’s commitment to discovery, adaptability, and collaboration. 

The proposed changes aim to support faculty, staff, and students in their creative work while ensuring transparency and equity in intellectual property management. 

Proposed policy changes:

• Creators may opt out of sharing 15% of accrued annual revenues greater than $25,000 from their commercial ventures with the university, removing financial disincentives to innovation. Instead, creators may conduct community engagement (e.g., mentorship, seminars, and similar types of engagements) to provide guidance and mentorship to the ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV community. 
• Creators will be required to disclose commercial ventures involving university resources, ensuring transparency and accountability. 
• The university’s non-commercial license will now extend to teaching materials, facilitating collaboration while respecting creator rights including a first right of refusal for the creator. 
• The policy ensures that creators retain ownership of intellectual property developed outside university resources, with equitable provisions for collaborative projects involving university support. 

These changes are designed to incentivize innovation, encourage entrepreneurship, and position ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV as a leader in intellectual property management. 

We invite you to review the proposed policy updates. Please note that the procedures associated with ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV’s IP policy are being shared for informational purposes and context only and are not part of the consultation.

Please submit your feedback to TLO_dir@sfu.ca by Tuesday, March 18, 2025.

Draft of R30.03 Policy included here (PDF)

Draft of R30.03 Procedures included here (PDF)

Draft of R30.03 Appendix A - Defenitions included here (PDF)

IP Policy Information Session

°¿²Ô Tuesday, February 25 and Tuesday, March 18 the Technology Licensing Office (TLO) is hosting virtual information sessions and Q&A on proposed updates to the IP Policy. The sessions will begin with a brief overview the policy and then provides time for attendees to ask questions.  

• Tuesday February 25^th at 12:00PM-1:00PM (Click for ) 
• Tuesday, March 18^th at 12:00PM-1:00PM (Click for ) 

Your input is important as we work together to create a policy that supports innovation and excellence at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV.

Thank you,

Dugan O’Neil
Vice-President, Research and Innovation
¶¡ÏãÔ°AV