Who Owns University Derived Intellectual Property - IP?

Working with many universities the question of 'who owns university derived intellectual property' or variations of this question comes up frequently and so we thought it worthy of discussion.

What seems like a simple question is fraught with complexity. Firstly, it is important to note that rules surrounding inventions and how they are owned, varies from country to country and so there is no single answer to this question. It is sometimes determined with reference to employment law of a particular country, or alternatively by IP legislation. Also, it can depend on the nature of how the IP was developed and who developed it.

Nevertheless, in spite of the complexities, we will take a look at some of the legislation in the UK and relevant court cases that have sought to interpret this.