General Frequently Asked Questions
What agreements are needed to exchange research materials between universities/companies?
- See "Material Transfer Agreements" on our Standard Agreements page.
What agreements are needed to work with a company or university?
- See "Partnership Agreements" on our Standard Agreements page.
Who has the authority to sign agreements on behalf of the University?
- All research related agreements, license agreements, MTAs, NDAs, as well as option, teaming, STTR and other related intellectual property agreements must have the signature of an authorized signatory of the University or the Vice President for Research and Economic Development. Only this signature can legally bind the University to the aforementioned agreements.
What are the University intellectual property policies?
- These are listed on our Policies and Procedures page.
What is the University's position regarding consulting, publication, and various contractual issues?
- These are addressed on our Policies and Procedures page.
Frequently Asked Questions By Innovators
I have a question about patents, copyright, trademarks, etc...
- Please see our IP & Patents FAQ.
How do grant proposal submissions affect patent rights?
- This issue is addressed very well here.
How do I disclose an innovation/invention to the University?
- See "Intellectual Property Disclosure" on our Innovator Resources page.
How do I get a summary all of my innovations, agreements, patent applications, etc.?
- This information can generally be accessed through the IAC Innovator Portal. If you need additional information, please contact us at 4-4977 or iac@auburn.edu.
Does the University work with outside innovators?
- Auburn University has on occasion worked with outside innovators. Typically, the most successful partnerships result from inventions that require additional research or inventive steps that Auburn can provide with its available expertise and facilities.
How are royalties shared among co-innovators?
- It is highly preferred that co-innovators agree upon royalty sharing percentages before a license agreement for their invention is executed. Here is an example of a simple letter agreement between innovators that could suffice: In lieu of such an agreement, the innovators' share of royalty revenues is typically split evenly among all co-innovators. (See patent policy link above for more information on royalty distributions.)