Know-how as a Form of Legal Protection of Scientific Results in Russian Universities
Research Article
How to Cite
Salitskaya E.A., Amelina K.E. Know-how as a Form of Legal Protection of Scientific Results in Russian Universities. Science Management: Theory and Practice. 2025. Vol. 7. No. 1. P. 83-99. DOI: https://doi.org/10.19181/smtp.2025.7.1.6 (in Russ.).
Abstract
The urgent need to develop domestic technologies in all advanced branches of science and technology, to ensure the technological sovereignty of the country, which Russia has faced in connection with the sanctions, poses new challenges for universities. Although scientific research, the framing and commercialization of protectable results of intellectual activity are not new tasks for universities, today their solution is becoming a matter of national security. Scientific and technical solutions created at universities should not only receive legal protection, but also should have market attractiveness so that the business sector is interested in their implementation and the creation of innovative products using them. In these conditions, it is logical to turn to the only result of intellectual activity, the condition of legal protection of which is the existence of commercial value – to a trade secret or know-how. The authors identify key areas of applying know-how in universities, including ensuring confidentiality in the period before filing a patent application, formalization of IP in case of non-compliance with the conditions of patentability and as a form of legal protection for student developments. However, the priority direction of using know-how is not to replace patent protection, but to supplement it, i.e. to support the receipt of a patent for the main technical solution by recognizing the relevant information necessary for its practical implementation as a production secret. It is this legal structure that allows for maximum protection of a scientific development and makes it commercially attractive. Along with the advantages provided by know-how, the authors also highlight the problems that universities face when using this form of legal protection of scientific results. The main ones are related to the difficulties of ensuring the confidentiality of information in the research community, to issues of remuneration of developers if another protected IPR is recognized as know-how, as well as to the assessment of the cost of the exclusive right to know-how. The problem of applying the principles of trade secret protection is highlighted as a special issue when it comes to performing R&D under a state defense order.
Keywords:
know-how, trade secret, scientific results, intellectual property, intellectual property management in universities, problems of using know-how in universities
References
1. Lukmanova L. M. Formation and development of intellectual property management system in technical HEIs [Formirovanie i razvitie sistemy upravleniya intellektual'noi sobstvennost'yu v tekhnicheskikh vuzakh] : Abstract of the diss. … Candidate of Economics : 08.00.05. Moscow; 2004. 31 p. (In Russ.).
2. Smirnova T. P. Intellectual property management in national research universities [Upravlenie intellektual'noi sobstvennost'yu v natsional'nykh issledovatel'skikh universitetakh] : Diss. ... Candidate of Economics : 08.00.05. Saratov; 2009. 155 p. (In Russ.).
3. Salitskaya E. A. Present-day approaches to intellectual property management: The regional aspect [Sovremennye podkhody k upravleniyu intellektual'noi sobstvennost'yu: regional'nyi aspect]. Herald of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 2017;87(11):1026–1034. (In Russ.). DOI 10.7868/S086958731711007X.
4. Metlyaev D. A., Ragozin P. V. University IP management system by example of Moscow State University. Intellectual Property. Industrial Property=Intellektual'naya sobstvennost'. Promyshlennaya sobstvennost'. 2020;(6):17–22. (In Russ.).
5. Novoselova L. A. Exclusive rights of the state or public institutions? Journal of the Intellectual Property Court=Zhurnal Suda po intellektual'nym pravam. 2023;(2):49–62. (In Russ.). DOI 10.58741/23134852_2023_2_49.
6. Pavlova E. A., ed. A commentary on part four of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation (article-by-article) [Kommentarii k chasti chetvertoi Grazhdanskogo kodeksa Rossiiskoi Federatsii (postateinyi)]. Moscow : S. S. Alekseev Private Law Research Center under the President of the Russian Federation; 2018. 928 p. (In Russ.).
7. Gorodov O. A. Intellectual property: Legal aspects of commercial use [Intellektual'naya sobstvennost': pravovye aspekty kommercheskogo ispol'zovaniya] : Diss. … Doctor of Law. St. Petersburg; 1999. 364 p. (In Russ.).
8. Eremenko V. I. Features of legal protection of trade secrets and information constituting a trade secret [Osobennosti pravovoi okhrany sekretov proizvodstva i informatsii, sostavlyayushchei kommercheskuyu tainu]. Legislation and Economics=Zakonodatel'stvo i ekonomika. 2014;(12):22–42. (In Russ.).
9. Zenin I. A. Intellectual property and know-how [Intellektual'naya sobstvennost' i nou-khau] : A study and practical guide. 6th ed., revised and enlarged. Moscow : MESI; 2006. 333 p. ISBN 5-7764-0288-3. (In Russ.).
10. Spiridonova N. B. The structure of the exclusive right to know-how (trade secret). Journal of the Intellectual Property Court=Zhurnal Suda po intellektual'nym pravam. 2022;(2):114–125. (In Russ.).
11. Nesterova N. V. Features of the legal regime of know-how: The cases of Russian, foreign and international experience [Osobennosti pravovogo rezhima nou-khau na primere rossiiskogo, zarubezhnogo i mezhdunarodnogo opyta] : Diss. ... Candidate of Law. Moscow; 2018. 163 p. (In Russ.).
12. Dozortsev V. A. Intellectual rights: Concept. System. Tasks of codification [Intellektual'nye prava: Ponyatie. Sistema. Zadachi kodifikatsii] : A collection of articles. Moscow : Statut; 2003. 416 p. ISBN 5-8354-0168-X. (In Russ.).
13. Sakharova N. A., Ezerskaya S. G. Advantages of commercialization of results of intellectual activity at a HEI in the form of know-how [Preimushchestva kommertsializatsii rezul'tatov intellektual'noi deyatel'nosti v vuze v vide nou-khau]. Bulletin of Ivanovo State University. Series: Economics=Vestnik Ivanovskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Seriya: Ekonomika. 2018;(2–3):55–60. (In Russ.).
14. Mazur N. Z. Modern view on the problems connected with assessment and commercialization of results of intellectual activity. Innovation & Investment=Innovatsii i investitsii. 2018;(6):23–27. (In Russ.).
15. Semakina L. V. Intangible assets – practical issues of valuation of intellectual property in Russia. Education and Law=Obrazovanie i pravo. 2017;(9):122–126. (In Russ.).
16. Kalashnik N. A., Stolbovskaya N. N. The problem of assessing the value of intellectual property in Russia in the digital economy. Modern Management Technology=Sovremennye tekhnologii upravleniya. 2020;(2):2. (In Russ.).
2. Smirnova T. P. Intellectual property management in national research universities [Upravlenie intellektual'noi sobstvennost'yu v natsional'nykh issledovatel'skikh universitetakh] : Diss. ... Candidate of Economics : 08.00.05. Saratov; 2009. 155 p. (In Russ.).
3. Salitskaya E. A. Present-day approaches to intellectual property management: The regional aspect [Sovremennye podkhody k upravleniyu intellektual'noi sobstvennost'yu: regional'nyi aspect]. Herald of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 2017;87(11):1026–1034. (In Russ.). DOI 10.7868/S086958731711007X.
4. Metlyaev D. A., Ragozin P. V. University IP management system by example of Moscow State University. Intellectual Property. Industrial Property=Intellektual'naya sobstvennost'. Promyshlennaya sobstvennost'. 2020;(6):17–22. (In Russ.).
5. Novoselova L. A. Exclusive rights of the state or public institutions? Journal of the Intellectual Property Court=Zhurnal Suda po intellektual'nym pravam. 2023;(2):49–62. (In Russ.). DOI 10.58741/23134852_2023_2_49.
6. Pavlova E. A., ed. A commentary on part four of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation (article-by-article) [Kommentarii k chasti chetvertoi Grazhdanskogo kodeksa Rossiiskoi Federatsii (postateinyi)]. Moscow : S. S. Alekseev Private Law Research Center under the President of the Russian Federation; 2018. 928 p. (In Russ.).
7. Gorodov O. A. Intellectual property: Legal aspects of commercial use [Intellektual'naya sobstvennost': pravovye aspekty kommercheskogo ispol'zovaniya] : Diss. … Doctor of Law. St. Petersburg; 1999. 364 p. (In Russ.).
8. Eremenko V. I. Features of legal protection of trade secrets and information constituting a trade secret [Osobennosti pravovoi okhrany sekretov proizvodstva i informatsii, sostavlyayushchei kommercheskuyu tainu]. Legislation and Economics=Zakonodatel'stvo i ekonomika. 2014;(12):22–42. (In Russ.).
9. Zenin I. A. Intellectual property and know-how [Intellektual'naya sobstvennost' i nou-khau] : A study and practical guide. 6th ed., revised and enlarged. Moscow : MESI; 2006. 333 p. ISBN 5-7764-0288-3. (In Russ.).
10. Spiridonova N. B. The structure of the exclusive right to know-how (trade secret). Journal of the Intellectual Property Court=Zhurnal Suda po intellektual'nym pravam. 2022;(2):114–125. (In Russ.).
11. Nesterova N. V. Features of the legal regime of know-how: The cases of Russian, foreign and international experience [Osobennosti pravovogo rezhima nou-khau na primere rossiiskogo, zarubezhnogo i mezhdunarodnogo opyta] : Diss. ... Candidate of Law. Moscow; 2018. 163 p. (In Russ.).
12. Dozortsev V. A. Intellectual rights: Concept. System. Tasks of codification [Intellektual'nye prava: Ponyatie. Sistema. Zadachi kodifikatsii] : A collection of articles. Moscow : Statut; 2003. 416 p. ISBN 5-8354-0168-X. (In Russ.).
13. Sakharova N. A., Ezerskaya S. G. Advantages of commercialization of results of intellectual activity at a HEI in the form of know-how [Preimushchestva kommertsializatsii rezul'tatov intellektual'noi deyatel'nosti v vuze v vide nou-khau]. Bulletin of Ivanovo State University. Series: Economics=Vestnik Ivanovskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Seriya: Ekonomika. 2018;(2–3):55–60. (In Russ.).
14. Mazur N. Z. Modern view on the problems connected with assessment and commercialization of results of intellectual activity. Innovation & Investment=Innovatsii i investitsii. 2018;(6):23–27. (In Russ.).
15. Semakina L. V. Intangible assets – practical issues of valuation of intellectual property in Russia. Education and Law=Obrazovanie i pravo. 2017;(9):122–126. (In Russ.).
16. Kalashnik N. A., Stolbovskaya N. N. The problem of assessing the value of intellectual property in Russia in the digital economy. Modern Management Technology=Sovremennye tekhnologii upravleniya. 2020;(2):2. (In Russ.).
Article
Received: 21.01.2025
Accepted: 25.03.2025
Citation Formats
Other cite formats:
APA
Salitskaya, E. A., & Amelina, K. E. (2025). Know-how as a Form of Legal Protection of Scientific Results in Russian Universities. Science Management: Theory and Practice, 7(1), 83-99. https://doi.org/10.19181/smtp.2025.7.1.6
Section
Normative legal framework of science
JATS XML
