Copyright and teaching

The University owns the copyright of all learning materials you create. However, acknowledgement of authorship is still important, for both moral rights and future content identification. Include your name, followed by '© Federation University [year]' in the footer of documents (e.g. Prepared by Sue Smith © Federation University 2026).

In learning materials

You can use copyright text if it's an 'insubstantial portion' (which basically means it isn't considered important, essential or distinctive).

If you'd like to give your students access to a 'substantial portion' of text, the best thing to do is supply links to eBooks or journal articles (from the Library database) rather than making photocopies or copying and pasting chunks of text into online platforms. You can use the unit readings service to create a list for your students – handy because links will be automatically checked and updated every week.

If you want to use text from a copyright-protected book and a link doesn't exist, please submit this as part of your unit readings list request too (so we can digitise it and report the use under our education licence). The amount must be considered a 'reasonable portion', which means:

• one chapter of a print book, or 10% of pages (whichever is greater)
• one article from a journal (or more if on the same topic or for the same course of study)
• one completed literary or dramatic anthology (if it's not more than 15 pages).

You may be able to copy more than this (e.g. if the title is out of print) – contact the Copyright Office for advice.

In class

You (and your students) are allowed to perform or read out copyright texts during classes, tutorials or lectures without getting permission. Make sure you remember to attribute your sources, and don't store content for later access (e.g. don't add a recording to Moodle).

In exams

You can use any amount of copyright text when writing exam papers. However, we recommend attributing the content and adding the following notice:

This material has been copied [and communicated to you] in accordance with the exam copying exception in section 200(1A) of the Copyright Act. Any further reproduction or communication of this material by you may be the subject of copyright protection under the Act. Do not remove this notice.

There are no limits on using copyrighted images, but you can only use images from print sources if they're not available to purchase separately at an ordinary commercial price and in a reasonable time. This doesn't apply to digital images – you can use these any time without permission. You should include a copyright notice with any copied images.

If you use open-licence images (e.g. royalty-free stock photography), you don't have to include a copyright notice, but you must abide by the terms of the licence that applies.

In class

You can play full TV programs, films, radio broadcasts and podcasts in your classes, tutorials or lectures (and provide links to students) without getting permission.

In a recorded class

If you're recording a class or lecture, you should pause it if you play a TV program, film, radio broadcast or podcast during the session, unless:

• you use an insubstantial portion
• you're critiquing or analysing the content
• it's broadcast licence material
• it's linked to Library database streaming content or is available freely online.

On a Federation platform

If you upload TV programs, films, radio broadcasts or podcasts to Moodle, they must fit one of the following: 

• covered under our screenrights licence
• an insubstantial portion
• copyright expired
• permission granted from the owner. 

You can't copy a commercial DVD and upload it to Moodle.

Any content you upload to FedFlix or Mahara must be an original creation (with license or permission covering any third-party content included).

Performing

You and your students can perform copyright musical works and sound recordings for educational purposes and university events under our tertiary music licence.

Recording

If you record a musical performance, you can:

• upload the video onto University social media channels and websites
• sell it in a physical format (like a DVD) to the University community only (for cost recovery purposes)
• store it on a password-protected University platform (like Moodle).

If you add commercial music to a video, you can sell it or store it (as above), but you can't upload it to social media.