Copyright law grants a set of exclusive rights to creators of original works. Protection is automatic. Although Copyright law may vary in different countries, the basic principle is to protect the rights of the creator, regardless of their country of origin, while balancing the needs of users. The laws of each country apply to copying done in that country.
The rights are to:
These rights will remain with the creator unless they assign the rights to someone else, such as an employer or publisher, under contract or licence.
Copyright law does not protect ideas, styles, concepts or techniques.
Copyright law must be considered before copying somebody else's work, whether for teaching, research or private purposes. In Australia, copyright law is governed by the Australian Copyright Act 1968. The university relies on the statutory licences to copy readings and Australian broadcasts that are not available electronically, for teaching purposes. Limits and conditions apply.
Charles Sturt University subscribes to electronic books, journals and audiovisual material which can be accessed by students enrolled in the university's courses, under contractual agreements.
Copyright laws protect material on the internet. Providing links to legitimate websites or documents does not infringe copyright. In some cases an Open Access licence is applied to material on the internet which can be used freely provided the conditions are met.
Copyright is infringed when any of the exclusive rights of the copyright owner are carried out by an unauthorised person who can not rely on any of the exceptions in the Act to copy, publish, perform, communicate, or adapt works. Care should be taken not to copy or link to material that is likely to infringe copyright.
The rights of attribution and integrity are known as Moral Rights. Regardless of who owns copyright in a work, the original creator/s must be attributed. The right of integrity means that the work cannot be changed in a way that would prejudice the creator's reputation or professional standing.
When quoting or reproducing the work of others consult the Referencing at Charles Sturt University guidelines.
Duration is the length of time that copyright protection lasts. Copyright duration periods vary according to the type of work, when it was first made available to the public and/or when the creator died.
Further information: see the duration of copyright fact sheet.
This is the term used to describe works in which the copyright protection period has expired. This material can be copied freely.
The purpose of this Academic Integrity policy is to ensure that staff involved in academic work and all students at Charles Sturt University have a shared understanding of academic integrity and its fundamental value for learning, teaching and research.
Copyright is just one part of Intellectual Property (IP). IP also includes patents, trade marks, designs, plant breeders’ rights, circuit layout rights, confidential information, and trade secrets.
Charles Sturt University has an IP policy which provides a broad overview of IP within the university.
Send an email to
Charles Sturt University Copyright
Permission to use non-university resources should be requested in writing or by email. Keep a copy on file and forward a copy to Charles Sturt University Copyright.
Charles Sturt University acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands on which its campuses are located, paying respect to Elders, both past and present, and extend that respect to all First Nations Peoples.
Charles Sturt University is an Australian University, TEQSA Provider Identification: PRV12018. CRICOS Provider: 00005F.
