Intellectual property
Research generates innovation. Protecting and promoting research work is an essential, if not indispensable, element in realizing its socio-economic potential. ULiège is fully committed to this through the RISE service, to foster innovation, stimulate business-research collaboration and encourage economic development.
From intellectual property (IP) generation to exploitation
In 1999, the University adopted a regulation on the ownership of research results reaffirming ULiège's rights over all inventions generated within the University, and how to manage their exploitation (Annex 1 to the said regulation).
The RISE department assists ULiège and CHU de Liège researchers in evaluating the various protection strategies available to them, and manages the patent, trademark and design registration procedures. IP investment is made by Gesval, with financial support from the DGO6. The University's aim is to provide companies with IP-secure technologies that can be exploited effectively; in the event of success, the University involves researchers in the sharing of financial returns.
Protection is essential!
The RISE department plays an ongoing role in raising awareness among research teams, highlighting the multiple advantages of protecting their research results with an IP title:
- Ensuring legal ownership of the invention. An IP title gives the right to prohibit unauthorized exploitation of the invention by a third party.
- Enable others to invest in research and thus add value to it. An IP title confers on the holder a monopoly of exploitation which can be transferred and valorized to a company, thus guaranteeing it a competitive advantage. A real bargaining chip!
- Stimulate innovation and inspire new research. Patents are often a source of information and inspiration for other researchers.
There are several ways of protecting an invention: secrecy, patent, copyright, trademark, design, etc. RISE's mission is to advise ULiège and CHU de Liège researchers on the most appropriate protection strategy based on the invention declaration.
At ULiège, the invention declaration is the essential document for starting a protection and commercialization process. It gathers together technical information, identifies the invention and the inventor, and highlights the potential of the results and possible commercialization possibilities. On the basis of this document, decisions can be taken as to whether or not to protect the invention, to keep it secret or to publish it, and to commercialize it in one form or another.
Are you a ULiège researcher?
The RISE service is at your service for :
- Obtaining, contracting and managing IP rights (patent, trademark, model)
- IP information searches (prior art)
- IP training (good practices before disclosure, laboratory notebooks, knowledge of the various IP rights and procedures related to research)
To find out more about intellectual property in FWB universities
Read the interactive electronic guide of the LIEU Network (Liaison Entreprises-Universités), which gives any researcher, beginner or experienced, a global vision of the process leading to knowledge transfer.
Discover the LiEU Network's digital learning platform dedicated to intellectual property
ULiège RISE - Recherche, Innovation, Support et Entreprises
Gestion de la propriété intellectuelle
Assistance administrative
Adresse générale :
