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There are a variety of reasons why confidentiality may be an issue with a research project.

These include:

• Organisations may provide the research team and university with information that, in its raw form, is confidential
• A company may wish to work on a developmental idea with a university, but wish to keep their idea confidential
• A research team with the university may wish to patent a particular idea and be looking for potential funders to support development
• A company may be unsure whether to fund a project and wish to enter into a discussion with a potential research team before making a decision

Useful Websites

• Permission to publish may also need to be obtained from the funder or commissioning body. Seek advice from your own institution and/or funder.
• Further information on the wider issues of disclosing findings, particularly in relation to IP, can be found on the RCUK website.
• The UK Intellectual Property Office is the agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (DBIS) responsible for patents, designs, trade marks and copyright.