FAQ

Valorisation or "technology transfer" is the provision of (intellectual) property rights on university knowledge by sale or grant or consent to its use to third parties (including government and businesses). In this way, these third parties are allowed to use such knowledge to develop a product (in the broadest sense of the meaning) that is then commercialized, whether or not by the same partner.

A government conferred right for a set period to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention without the approval of the patent owner.

PCT refers to “Patent Cooperation Treaty”. Based upon this international treaty patent applicants can file one single patent application designating all countries having ratified the PCT treaty. This procedure does not allow to grant a patent right in the designated countries but does allow a preliminary examination of the patentability of the invention before having to split up the international application in various national patent applications until 30 months after the priority date. More information can be found here.

The research results, including the property rights on it, are owned by the institution, except as otherwise provided in regulations and/or agreements approved by the institution.

Fill in an invention disclosure form and contact Hugo Loosvelt, IP manager.

There should be a balance between the concerns of the company to protect its confidential information and the right of academic researchers to publish the research results. One can elaborate a procedure in which the company has the opportunity to look into the design of the publications for a short term. If the company has not formulated comments after the closing date, the researcher can proceed to publish.

Laboratory notebooks are necessary to document your research findings. Lab notebooks allow key research information (hypotheses, experimental design, conclusions, minutes of meeting, … ) to be documented in a legally valid and loss of information through loose information being scattered, (doctoral) researchers leaving the service, etc .... is avoided. A laboratory notebook consequently serves as an objective reference in case of conflicts (around scientific papers, patents, foreground and background knowledge) and is key to establish date of invention, inventors, authors, etc.

Hardcover lab notebook can be ordered at VUB Tech Transfer (free).

For electronic lab notebook, please contact the R&D department, Carole Urlings, for more information.

VUB TechTransfer provides free laboratory notebooks to any interested researcher. Fill out the registration form here.

The VUB is subject to VAT since July 1st 2007, when the Tax Code was amended and all public authorities became subject to VAT. This means that the universities public by law are also subject to VAT for their contract research, both with industry and with public authorities. The anti-competitive element between the public and private universities is no longer of application. This means that the VUB has to charge 21% VAT on the total project costs (including overhead) for its services rendered to third parties.

The VUB's VAT-number is BE 0449 012 406.

The VUB's RSZ-number is 7574825217.

All agreements with VUB have to be signed by the rector. Only she/he can legally represent VUB. Researchers cannot sign on behalf of the university.