Benue State University, Makurdi

Ownership of University Inventions: A Case Study of Benue State University’s Centre for Food Technology and Research (CEFTER)

Joseph Jar Kur, PhD^*

Abstract

The research considers the legal question of who owns the intellectual property rights of products emanating from research and development arrived at from publicly funded research of Universities. In answering on questions of ownership and commercialization rights, the research uses Benue State University’s Centre for Food Technology and Research (CEFTER) which is a World Bank sponsored research center as a case study for the doctrinal assessment. The research has found that, ownership of results oriented research capable of being patented and commercialized is not well defined at the university. This is as a result of lack of available research and intellectual Property policies that can help resolve such issues when called to task. The research therefore calls for the implementation of intellectual Property policy in line with the World Intellectual Property Organization and National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion Guidelines. These Guidelines are suggestively not only proactive in nature but are crucial for the establishment and maintenance of good working relationships between the collaborating organizations.

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