Copyright

If you want to share photocopies or prints with your fellow students, then the copyright rules depend on which type of material the original is.

Print books – print journals – freely accessible websites

If the original is a print book, an article from a print journal or material from a freely accessible website it falls under the University of Copenhagen’s agreement with Copydan (Tekst og Node).

You are allowed to copy, print or scan up to 20% of a material, however with a maximum of 50 pages from the same material per student per semester.

Example:

From a book with 125 pages, you are allowed to copy or scan 20% equivalent to 25 pages.

From a book with 312 pages, you are allowed to copy or scan a maximum of 50 pages.

Regarding journals the 20% are calculated based on the total amount of page numbers from the year in question.

Example:

The journal Juristen from 1997. The total page number from that year is 475 pages. You are allowed to copy or scan max. 50 pages.

Webpages:

When it comes to webpages the 20% have to be calculated based on the total amount of pages on the website. As this can be difficult to determine, the rule of thumb is that you can print or upload the equivalence of max. 50 printed pages.

NB: Regarding scanned materials (digital copies) you also have to be aware, that have to be shared through a password protected network such as Absalon.

 If you need to copy or scan an article or a book chapter that exceeds the limit of 20% (or max. 50 pages), then you have to get permission directly from the copyright holder and/or publisher. You can contact Copydan Tekst og Node first, as they often can help get the permission for you.

E-books and e-journals:

If the original is an e-book or an article from an e-journal that the University of Copenhagen is subscribing to, then you are generally allowed to print 20% of the e-book or the journal year, however with a maximum of 50 pages. These prints are often also allowed to be incorporated into printed compendiums (with exceptions). If you need to print more than 20% (max. 50 pages), then you can check if the library’s license with the publisher allows this.

Old books and other works:

If all originators of the work (authors and translators) died more than 70 years ago, the copyright protection has expired, and you can freely use the text without limitations to the extent.

Remember referencing the source:

Copies, prints and scanned files (digital copies) always have to contain information about the source. Title, author, publisher and year.

As a private person / student you can:

• Freely copy from print books for personal use.
• Make copies for your study partner. However, you are not allowed to make copies for others.
• Scan (make a digital copy) from print books, that you have loaned at the library, as long as the scanning happens at the library, and you only use the material for personal use. You are not allowed to forward or share scanned materials (the digital copy).

It is easy to share material, but it is not always allowed. It depends on how you share the material. Read on to see how you legally share digital materials.

Linking:

As a student you have access to a number of databases, e-journals and e-books. You may send a direct link to e.g. a journal article from one of the university’s e-journals to your fellow students. Read more about how you link on Absalon. You may also link to material that is legally publically available online.

Copy and scan:

You may not copy material to more than one fellow student. You are not allowed to share scanned materials (digital copies) with your fellow students, unless your instructor has encouraged you to use the material during class (e.g. as supplementary curriculum). In this instance, you are allowed to share the material on Absalon – not on Facebook, Dropbox and the like. It is important to be aware, that you are limited by the same restrictions regarding copying and scanning (digital copies) that your instructors are.

Uploads to social media:

Many use social media platforms, such as Facebook, to share and upload educational material connected to their studies. This could be articles or similar online materials that you have access to through the University of Copenhagen’s licenses. However, it is often against the copyright to share materials through Facebook, which also applies to closed groups on the platform. You are often allowed to share materials on Absalon, as long as you follow the rules we have explained above.

Papers written by you are also subject to copyright. There are therefore a number of things that you have to be aware of, when others want to use your paper or you make it public yourself.

You have the copyright to papers that you have written. You are welcome to use your past papers e.g. by including text excerpts in later papers. As long as you remember to reference the source correctly.

Using papers that you wrote in collaboration with others require permission from all the co-authors, that others may use the paper.

Use of papers on Absalon

If your instructor wishes to use your paper as an example to other students, e.g. by sharing it on Absalon, it requires your permission. Your name also has to be visible when the paper is made public.

Master’s theses and papers

You have the copyright to all papers that you have written. This is the case regardless of it being a paper, project, model, source code, thesis etc. They cannot be made accessible to others without your permission.

 If you publicize your work, you have to be aware of the following:

• If you have quoted: ensure that this is done according to good academic practice.
• If you have used pictures: find out if you have permission to publicize them in your paper.
• If you have enclosed appendices: find out if you are allowed to attach the appendices, when you make the paper public. An example being that you are not allowed to attach newspaper articles or journal articles without permission.
• If you have used sources from interviews and the like: ensure that you have permission from the people involved.
• If you use sensitive personal data: find out if there are particular rules restricting what information you can use.

Joint notes

If your study group has produced joint notes, papers or smaller texts that you then use in other papers, then you have to reference this. If you or others wish to use the material that has been co-produced, it requires permission from all the co-authors to use the material in new contexts.

You can find radio, TV-programmes and commercials through Mediestream. But how are you allowed to use them in your studies?

Using radio- and TV-programmes for research etc.

As a student, you have access to over a million radiobroadcasts, TV-programmes and commercials for study purposes.

Copenhagen University is connected to an AVU-Basis agreement and AVU-Plus agreement through the Ministry of Higher Education and Science and the Royal Danish Library-Aarhus. These agreements grant instructors at UCPH the possibility to use TV-programmes, commercials, documentaries etc. from a wide selection of both Danish and foreign channels.

Mediestream also gives online access to digital collection of Danish produced TV programmes, radio broadcasts and commercials. Staff and students at the University of Copenhagen have access via WAYF. You log on using your UCPH login.

You are only allowed to use these materials for your studies, as research and as a source with a link.

All materials in Mediestream have a unique and permanent link that you can use for referencing. You may not download the contents of Mediestream, nor forward, change, use commercially or screen the contents publically etc.

Mediestream supply inspiration to how you can use AV-materials in papers on their Facebook page and in their newsletter. If you wish to know more or are unsure how to use it, you can find more information and contact information on www.mediestream.dk.

You need your instructor/teacher’s permission if you wish to record lectures/classes and share those recordings with others.

When it comes to recordings that you wish to share with others, you have to follow both copyright rules and Danish GDPR law.

Can I record and share my recordings?

Whether you make audio or video recordings of you lectures/classes, you cannot share them with others without your instructor/teacher’s permission to do so.

If other students appear on the recording, e.g. participate in a class discussion, you also have to get their permission before making the recording public.

Your rights

If you appear on a recording or in some way participate actively in a lecture/class that is recorded with the purpose of being made public, you have to be asked for your permission before the recording is made public. If you say no, the recording cannot be published.

Read more on your rights on https://undervislovligt.dk/en/