WEST LAFAYETTE – Purdue University is opening up intellectual property rights to student-inventors who make technological breakthroughs using university resources.

Purdue President Mitch Daniels said Friday the change will “foster a culture of entrepreneurship” across Purdue’s system.

The Journal & Courier reported (http://on.jconline.com/WyWCvt) that university policy could be strictly interpreted to make any invention created with university resources, such as the use of a school laboratory, subject to Purdue’s ownership.

But Daniels said a new policy reinterpretation opens up intellectual property rights to student-inventors if they make their breakthroughs in a class where other students had access to the same resources.

Exceptions are students paid to create an invention or who are supported by a federal or corporate grant. They might share or cede property rights to Purdue or that funding agency.