Working with Industry

Faculty and staff are encouraged to discuss ideas for potential research projects with industry representatives. Actual work should not begin on a project until the appropriate documents are submitted through the university's internal review process and both parties sign a mutually acceptable agreement. Only designated officials are authorized to sign agreements for the university. Faculty and staff may not obligate UK in this manner.

To view UK's sample contract agreement, see www.research.uky.edu/ospa/industry.html.

Please refer to Material Transfer Agreements / Confidential Disclosure Agreements if you are providing any tangible research material or disclosing any details about your research to anyone outside the university.

There are two university administrative regulations that relate to working with industry:
AR II-1.1-1 (pdf) Consulting and Other Overload Employment
AR II-4.0-4 (pdf) Conflict of Interest/Financial Disclosure Policy-Research.

The Office of Sponsored Projects Administration (OSPA) is authorized by the university to negotiate and legally accept sponsored agreements. This includes clinical trial agreements and financial interest disclosures. OSPA also administers the Conflict of Interest policy.