RESEARCHER’S DEED
For employees and students undertaking research in
Government Funded University Research Facilities
or utilising material subject to Benefit Sharing Arrangements
USER GUIDE
1.
WHY IS THIS DEED NECESSARY?
Griffith University and the State of Queensland have entered into various agreements for the
funding, development and management of specific research facilities at Griffith University
campuses. We have called these Government Funded University Research Facilities.
The construction of the following Government Funded University Research Facilities:
 the Institute for Glycomics (Buildings G25 and G26);
 Eskitis Institute for Cell and Molecular Therapies (Building N75);
 Smart Water Research Centre (Building G51);
 Queensland Compound Library (housed in Building N75);
 Queensland Microtechnology Facility (Building N74); and
 the Queensland Tropical Health Alliance (housed at both Buildings G25 and N75),
were funded by the State of Queensland. Pursuant to the funding agreements between
Griffith University and the State of Queensland, Griffith has certain obligations to ensure that
all intellectual property created in these Government Funded University Research Facilities
is protected and commercialised by Griffith University.
Griffith University is required to share with the State of Queensland an agreed percentage of
any revenue received from commercialisation of research undertaken in these Government
Funded University Research Facilities.
In addition to these Government Funded University Research Facilities, Griffith University
has certain statutory and other contractual obligations to the State of Queensland and other
third parties. We have called these “Benefit Sharing Arrangements”. These arrangements
allow Griffith’s researchers to have access to, collect, store and use certain native flora and
fauna from various countries/states and territories. The majority of these Benefit Sharing
Arrangements specifically relate to the Eskitis Institute’s Nature Bank or material obtained
from native title lands or lands owned by the State of Queensland or the Commonwealth.
Pursuant to these various statutory and contractual arrangements, Griffith University has
similar obligations as those contained in the above mentioned funding agreements for the
Government Funded University Research Facilities.
To ensure that Griffith University is able to meet its various obligations under the various
contractual and statutory regimes, the University has developed the Researcher’s Deed. All
researchers undertaking research within a Government Funded University Research Facility
and/or utilising material the subject of a Benefit Sharing Arrangement must sign this Deed to
ensure that the University can meet its contractual/statutory obligations.
This Deed will not restrict your academic freedom to publish, subject to obligations of
confidentiality and commercialisation.
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User Guide – GFURF and BSA Researcher’s Deed
2.
Page 2
WHO NEEDS TO SIGN THIS DEED
New staff and students – all new staff and students undertaking research within a
Government Funded University Research Facilities or utilising Benefit Sharing
Arrangement material will be required to sign a Researcher’s Deed upon induction if
they wish to undertake the research.
Existing staff and students – The University administration will identify existing staff
and students who are required to sign the Researcher’s Deed. The Deed will be
emailed to you with instructions on how to complete the Deed. Any queries should be
directed to your facility’s General/Business Manager.
Visiting scientists – Visiting scientists will be considered on a case-by-case basis. In
most cases the visiting scientist will only be required to sign a Confidentiality Deed.
Where it is deemed necessary to negotiate an intellectual property sharing
arrangement, an organisation level agreement will be negotiated with the visitor’s
employer.
3.
HOW DO I COMPLETE THIS DEED?
a. Page 3: Item 1 - Insert your full name;
b. Page 3: Item 2 – Insert your physical residential address;
c. Page 3: Item 4 – Insert the required contact details.
d. Page 3: Execution clause – Insert your full name in both places;
e. Print out two copies of the Deed.
f.
Obtain a witness. The witness does not need to have any formal qualifications – a
work colleague is preferable over a spouse. Before the witness You must sign each
Deed, where your signature is required. Ensure that the witness places their
signature, full name and date, where required, on both Deeds.
g. Provide both original Deeds to the General/Business Manager of your facility or as
they direct.
The Deeds can only be signed by the Director of your Government Funded University
Research Facilities or the Pro Vice Chancellor (Administration) on behalf of the
University. One original will be kept by the University (in CARMS) for its official record
and the other original will be delivered to your “Research Contact Details” as stipulated in
Item 4 of Schedule 1, for your records.