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RS02: Intellectual Property

Draft RS02: Intellectual Property and its associated procedure will replace the existing VIU policy 31.13 Intellectual Property and its associated procedure.

This Policy and its corresponding rules and procedures provide a framework for the management of Intellectual Property created by members of the Vancouver Island University community while acting in a scholarly, professional, or student capacity.

It is designed to promote a supportive climate for the development of Intellectual Property and the provision of services based on mutually beneficial partnerships that respect the interests of researchers and IP owners, the University, and the wider community.

Consultation on the draft policy is now closed. The consultation took place from December 16, 2024 until 4 pm on January 24, 2025. 

The policy process is now complete. The final policy and the consultation report are available here:

This policy is being recommended for approval at the April 24, 2025 meeting of the Board of Governors. Thank you to everyone who provided feedback. Consultation drafts and information about the policy are provided below for your information.

Intellectual property is covered by a multijurisdictional legal framework governed by a number of different laws and regulations. This policy ensures VIU meets its legal obligations and is accountable to the Board of Governors for compliance, including with the University Act.

VIU’s existing policy and procedure were adapted to the new templates, maintaining original wording throughout. Some new content was added to comply with the new policy template.

Because of the high level of risk associated with non-compliance, the Board of Governors is being given oversight over the procedure as well as the policy.  The Board of Governors, therefore, is being asked to approve the procedure in addition to the policy.

Given the original policy and procedure were developed by a lawyer for legal compliance, no content has been removed. Some content has been added to comply with the new template (see notes below). Some content has also been moved from the policy to the procedure as it is more process-oriented in nature. This makes the policy consistent with the framework and other policies.

Table of Concordance: Policy 

Section – New Policy

Notes

Purpose

Combines content from the “Preamble” and “Purpose” sections of the original policy

Scope and Application

From “Scope” section of original policy                  

Policy

Combines content from the “Preamble” and “Purpose” sections of the original policy, with new text added for clarity (highlighted in yellow)

Considerations

  • New content added to be consistent with other policies and the framework (highlighted in yellow)
  • Existing content moved from “Indigenous Knowledges and Traditional Cultural Expressions” section of original policy

Roles and Responsibilities

  • Content from “Implementation” section of the original policy
  • New language added to be consistent with other policies (highlighted in yellow)

Related Documents

New

Revision History

New

Appendix A: Definitions

From “Definitions” section of original policy

 

Procedure Changes

  • New “Purpose” section (highlighted in yellow)
  • “Scope and Applications” sections added, using content from the policy (highlighted in yellow)
  • New content moved from the original policy (highlighted in green)
  • All other content comes from the existing procedure