The Professors privilege (Teachers exemption)

As an employee of Uppsala universitet, you are covered by the so-called professor’s privilege (also known as the Teachers exemption). In brief, this means you own the results of your research.

Externally funded research is sometimes based on the condition that the financier shall own or may use the results of the research. Participation in such projects is voluntary, but if you agree to participate, you need to accept the conditions, foremost when comprising your knowledge and/or restricting your rights according to the professor’s privilege. In other words, if the agreement between the university and the financier state that the financier will own the research results from the project, you accept that ownership of your results are transferred to the financier, without any additional compensation to you beyond that which may be regulated in the agreement.

Since the contractual terms between the university and the financier may have direct impact on your rights according to the professor’s privilege, it is important that you familiarize yourself with the terms of the agreement before you accept the project. This is also your opportunity to influence the terms. Please contact the Legal Affairs Division to communicate your views on the agreement at the earliest stage possible of the contract negotiations, in order to get the most efficient assistance in influencing the terms of the agreement.

The Legal Affairs Divsion recommend that the principal investigator confirm the terms for the project in writing. This is to avoid misapprehansion regaring the matter. For this there is a draft Conditions for participation in the following project at Uppsala University. Word, 24 kB. The PI is responsible for securing that no researcher participate in the project that has not accepted the prerequisites for the project.