Your research activities at Clausthal University of Technology produce results and solutions that are often not only academically relevant, but also have potential for practical application in many areas. This is where it is worth looking into the topic of inventions and patents: patents offer the opportunity to legally protect research results and thus create the framework for later commercial use and exploitation, from which you as the inventor and the university alike can benefit – whether through industrial partners or spin-offs. Registering a patent does not restrict your scientific freedom or prevent you from publishing your research results – it's just a matter of getting the order right. Like publications, patents make your research visible and help to strengthen the research profile of Clausthal University of Technology.

The event offers a practical introduction to industrial property rights with a focus on patents. The requirements for the patentability of inventions are explained, as is the life cycle of a patent. There is a particular focus on research: why and how do you conduct research in patent and non-patent literature? How can you evaluate and further utilise research results? In addition, the structure of an invention disclosure, the documents required for an application and the benefits of an invention disclosure for Clausthal University of Technology and for inventors are explained.