Australian copyright law allows certain rights and protection to owners of copyright material. The law gives copyright owners exclusive rights over certain use of their material. Australian copyright law also includes conditions and specific exceptions which permits users — such as educational institutions and their staff, students, and researchers — to copy and communicate copyright material.
The Library provides copyright advice in alignment with Australian copyright law as it applies to staff, students, and researchers at UTS.
Disclaimer: All advice provided is drawn from legal material; however, the information should not be considered legal advice and should not be relied upon as such.
Manage your content
This is the essential guide to copyright as it applies to using and creating content for teaching, research, or study at UTS. The tool provides information on:
Use Content
The key requirements and considerations in using a range of content at UTS for teaching purposes, for research purposes, and for personal study.
Create Content
The conditions and requirements in creating content for teaching, for research or personal study, and for sharing or publishing.
Copyright Toolbox
Covers a range of important and relevant copyright information, including Reading Lists, copyright notices, fair dealing provisions, seeking permission to use copyright materials, and guidance on publishing and rights management.
Reporting a breach of copyright
Reporting a concern about UTS material being used by others
Submit a report if you believe that copyright material owned by the University of Technology Sydney is being used in a way that could constitute copyright infringement or a breach of an agreed licence or contract.
Reporting a concern about material being used by UTS
Submit a report if you believe that material is being used by the University of Technology Sydney in a way that could constitute copyright infringement, a breach of an agreed licence or contract, or an infringement of privacy or cultural sensitivity.
You will need to include:
- a full description of the material concerned
- the location or site address (eg URL) of the material
- whether you are the owner of the material or are acting on the owner's behalf
- your reasons for believing that there is an infringement
- your full name and telephone contact details
Using Australian Indigenous works (Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property)
Particular care should be taken when using Australian Indigenous works or cultural property.
Australian Copyright Law requires that the author or creator of a work be appropriately attributed wherever that work is used, for example as content for teaching, research or where used in any scholarly works.
Often referred to as Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property (ICIP), Australian Indigenous works may require inclusion of the name of the Nation or language group as part of an attribution. Some ICIP is culturally sensitive and may only be reproduced with permission of the creator or the First Nation peoples that own the material.
For information on appropriate referencing or citation, see the guide Indigenous Perspectives & Practices: Referencing Indigenous Materials.
For information on cultural and legal considerations, see the guides Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property (ICIP) or the First Nations Art information sheet.
Public performances
If you intend to give a public performance, you are generally required to seek permission from the copyright owner to perform a work.
The Copyright guide for using music at UTS covers the use and performance of music for educational purposes and for some university events.
Get help
- For Students: Information on copying and referencing, and publishing your work.
- For Researchers: Information on what you can copy, seeking permission, and publishing your own work for researchers of UTS.
- Copyright and Staff: Information on using copyright content for teaching and work-related matters.
- Contact the Library for copyright assistance.
