This means that a research contract must be drawn up. In such a case, data and intellectual property rights can remain with the sponsor. A sponsor is also free to engage students as employees working on their sites, in which case they would sign normal employee confidentiality agreements. Students must be able to make a presentation to complete their academic work. However, information provided by a company can, when requested and identified in advance, be treated substantially as proprietary, modified, or withheld during class presentations and from reports.
Sponsors get to see all work done on their project.
Student work and ownership of original material generally belongs to the student who created it, regardless of whether the students worked on campus or off. However, the ownership of work authored by a student under a project contract will be governed by the terms of the contract. Miscellaneous issues Donations are voluntary The Design Clinic does not require a donation from a sponsoring company, but it does ask for contributions. These donations are altruistic in nature, which means they are tax deductible to the sponsor. In every case so far, sponsors have been delighted with the results, and students have received a uniquely-valuable, educational experience.