A dispute over copyright has arisen between a professor and his former employer, Newcastle University. Professor Weetman asserts that his former employer breached his copyright by using teaching slides created by him in subsequent presentations and storing them on the university website. Professor Weetman claims he had a verbal agreement with the university to retain copyright in the materials. However, the university argue that copyright was retained by them in the work, as is the policy for all teaching materials. They also state that there was no actual agreement as regards copyright in the work, and that any copying that took place was insubstantial. This is a stark reminder to all staff working in HE and FE to check the copyright policy in their institutions and, when negotiating copyright ownership, to ensure the agreed terms are clear and contained in their written contract of employment. For more information on this story, please refer to: http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=411550&c=1.