A lot of teaching material is created within the University’s own teaching activities. The originator own the copyright to the material, but the University has the right to use the material produced by employees within the scope of the employment.
Umeå University's use of teaching materials
If copyrighted work, such as teaching material, was created as a result of you as a teacher fulfilling your duties or specific commitments, you are the author of the work. Through the so-called teacher exemption, teachers at higher education institutions are considered to have developed a stronger right to their work that emerged in the context of the employment compared to other employees. This means that copyright does not transfer to the employer but remains with the author. However, this right does not apply to work used under the so-called copying agreement with Bonus Copyright Access.
Umeå University has access rights to the work that you have developed within the framework of your employment without any special agreement. The University's access rights include use, without remuneration to the employee other than salary, for the purposes and needs of the employer's normal activities. This right also applies after termination of employment. This principle is called "tumregeln" in Swedish. Copyright to the material remains with the author, or the person to whom the author has transferred the copyright, regardless of whether the University uses the material according to "tumregeln". This means, among other things, that you as the orginator, must be named when the material is used by the University.
Agreement on the right to use teaching materials
If teaching material is to be produced by someone who is not employed at the University, an agreement must be signed with the creator to ensure the right for the University to use the material as intended. Agreements must always be signed with the University as a party, not individual employees.
Note that an employment always applies for the entire University. If employees form another department or unit are involved in producing teaching materials, all that is required is usually an agreement between the departments concerned. The agreement will then regulate how the employee's working hours, and the department where the employee is placed should be compensated. When pricing internal purchase of staff, the department must comply with the rules for internal purchases and sales.
Contact the Legal Affairs Office if you need support to draw up an agreement. You always need to check who is authorised to sign the agreement in accordance with the rules of delegation at the University.