Academic Institutions Also Have Secrets

Trade secrets can be an institution's most valuable and prolonged assets. However, maintaining trade secrets in academic institutions can be challenging because trade secret protection requires secrecy, while academic institutions generally advocate publication and open collaboration. Furthermore, determining whether trade secret protection is appropriate in academic institutions can be complex. This session will shed light on these challenges by covering the basics of trade secrets, guidelines for choosing between patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets to protect inventions derived from academic institutions, and steps that academic institutions must take to protect trade secrets.