The Vice-Principal Research (VPR) portfolio leads the coordination, negotiation, and drafting of research-related agreements at Queen’s. Our team works closely with legal counsel at affiliated teaching hospitals to support research partnerships across institutions.
Faculty and staff are not authorized by the university to sign research or innovation-related agreements, including but not limited to non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements, memorandums of understanding, sponsored research and contribution agreements, partnership agreements, and clinical trial agreements.
When working with external partners, contact our team early in your project planning. By getting us involved early, you will avoid delays in contract signing and ensure your agreement is set up properly.
Best practices to protect your research
- Queen’s is committed to academic freedom and open dissemination of knowledge. Researchers should retain the right to publish results arising from their work.
- Clearly define ownership of research results, data, and intellectual property (IP). Ensure that copyright and IP provisions reflect the contributions of all parties and protect the researcher’s rights while meeting sponsor requirements.
- Disclose any personal, financial, or professional relationships that could influence your research or contractual obligations.
- Ensure the agreement clearly states the start and end dates, renewal or extension terms, and any conditions for early termination. Having defined timelines protects project deliverables, funding continuity, and compliance with institutional and sponsor requirements.
We are here to help
Every research project and partnership is unique. Our team can help you draft or review a contract tailored to your specific needs. We provide:
- legal advice on intellectual property, conflicts of interest, and other University research policies
- support for commercialization and technology transfer in collaboration with Queen's Partnerships and Innovation (QPI)
- preparation and review of research-related agreements to ensure compliance and protect university interests
- early engagement support to help researchers streamline negotiations and agreements with partners