Intellectual Property Disclosure
Researchers at Semmelweis University have the right and responsibility to report their own projects to the Centre of Science & Innovations Vice-Rector and Business Development (RDI Center) if there is valuable intellectual property or market potential. RDI Center staff possess the expertise to assess projects regarding intellectual property protection and can advise on the appropriate type of protection.
The process consists of the following steps:
1. Initial Contact: Researchers at Semmelweis University initiate a personal meeting with RDI staff by sending an email to tto@semmelweis.hu
2. Consultation: The RDI Center will hold a personal consultation with the creators to explore the circumstances affecting the legal protection and exploitation of the intellectual property.
Criteria for Patentability: The following conditions are required for patentability:
- Novelty: Prior to the patent application, the invention may not be made public in any form (e.g., article, oral communication, conference lecture, TDK article or lecture). In this respect, it is the possibility of access that matters, not the actual access to the information.
- Inventive Activity (Inventive Step): The invention must not be obvious to a person skilled in the art, even if it requires knowledge of several specializations.
- Industrial Applicability: An invention is industrially applicable if it can be produced or used in an industry or a branch of agriculture. The invention must therefore provide a result in accordance with the objective of the invention, and it must be reproducible (achievable at any time with the same result).
3. Submission: The Intellectual Property Submission Form (SZAB-sheet) is available on the link below; staff can assist in filling it out.
4. Decision Making: Decisions regarding acceptance, protection, and exploitation are made by the University Innovation Committee (EIB).
5. Proceedings: If the EIB decides to acquire (or maintain) industrial property rights, the RDI Center initiates industrial property protection proceedings depending on the nature of the intellectual property. The costs for this shall be borne by the University to the extent specified in the EIB decision.
Publication Screening & Intellectual Property Guidelines
Publication Screening Prior to uploading manuscripts or conference abstracts, experts from the RDI Center pre-screen scientific material for potential intellectual property value. The RDI Center provides an opinion on the manuscript from an industrial property protection perspective. If necessary, the Center’s staff will provide advice on industrial property protection and a full range of services to obtain such protection.
For in-house conferences (e.g., TDK, PhD conferences, etc.), the RDI Center ensures the confidential treatment of sensitive scientific material.
Research Agreements
Whenever a researcher or research group collaborates with any external partner, a written agreement is required. This applies to all types of contracts, including but not limited to Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDA), Material Transfer Agreements (MTA), Data Transfer Agreements (DTA) and collaboration or partnership agreements.
Before the collaboration begins, the draft agreement must be submitted to the Legal Department (jog@semmelweis.hu) for review and approval. As part of this process, the RDI Center also reviews the document from an intellectual property and research-innovation perspective, ensuring that the University’s interests are properly protected.