Agreements and ownership

Agreements may seem tricky, but are important when you are working with other parties, such as a company in connection with your degree project. Right from the outset, it is important to have an agreement that clearly sets out the rights, obligations and expectations between the parties.

Uppsala University has drawn up agreement templates as support for both internal and external degree projects, but these may need to be adapted to your specific situation.

Do not be afraid to ask!

The guiding principle is always not to sign an agreement that you do not fully understand, as this can lead to unintentionally giving away your rights to your degree project results, for example.

If something in the agreement is unclear or if you do not fully understand what it says – ask! It is always possible to adjust the content beforehand, but it can be very difficult, and sometimes even impossible, to correct something after you have signed.

Who owns what?

When it comes to agreements and degree projects, it is important to make clear who owns the results and who has the right to publish. Be careful not to sign away the rights of your degree project to your collaborative partner without having thought through how you would like to use what you have come up with.

For example, if you do not own the rights to the results, the agreement may prevent you from publishing them. Another aspect to discuss is whether you, as a student, need to give anything of value to the partner, apart from the work itself. If so, reasonable compensation should be paid.

When you collaborate with others

There are other contexts where an agreement can prevent misunderstandings and problems. Perhaps you are working with others on a project. A simple project agreement can clarify what is expected and how the results will be handled. When it comes time to develop the results further, a confidentiality agreement can give you control, so that others are not free to share your ideas.