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Case Study... Dr Ellis meets with representatives of Dalton Engineering Limited. They may ask Dr Ellis to sign a confidentiality agreement for the University so that they can discuss the funding of the project. What should be done? Dr Ellis should get advice from UMIP or the University Contracts Team before any confidentiality agreement is signed. Dr Ellis should certainly be considering whether the confidentiality agreement will also protect the University's confidential information. If an invention disclosure may be made under the confidentiality agreement, then the agreement must be signed by a representative of UMIP. All other confidentiality agreements must be signed by the Head of School as the relevant Authoriser. You must make sure that UMIP or the University Contracts Team receives a copy of each confidentiality agreement (sometimes described as a secrecy agreement or non-disclosure agreement) once it has been entered into. This is the only way for the University to ensure that all employees and students who are affected by the agreement are given a copy of it and are aware of its terms. You should read any such agreement carefully, both before and after it has been signed. Some agreements may give the outside body the final decision over whether papers are approved for publishing, which could impact on your career. It is obviously important that you comply with the terms of any confidentiality agreement. If anything does happen, though, which you think may lead an outside body to question the treatment of its information, let UMIP or the University Contracts Team know as soon as possible. This will allow them to take the appropriate action, including informing the University's insurers. Similarly, if you become aware that the other party to a confidentiality agreement with the University might be about to disclose the University's confidential information improperly, let UMIP or the University Contracts Team know. They may be able to take action to prevent or limit the disclosure. 31

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