The Role of Licenses in Knowledge Transfer

The following links and documents are available in Croatian only. Participants may use free AI-powered translation tools to access the provided materials.

An open license is a way for a copyright holder (the author or another rights holder) to authorise the use of their works by the general public. It may be indicated on the work itself or at the place where the work is distributed. The most well-known open licence is the Creative Commons (CC) licence, although other licences also exist, such as the GNU General Public License (GPL), the MIT Licence, and the Apache Licence. These licences are most commonly applied to software and other digital products, allowing their free use, modification, and distribution.

For teachers, researchers, and students, Creative Commons (CC) licences represent a key tool for the effective management and sharing of knowledge in a digital environment. Information technologies offer significant opportunities for accessing and disseminating content, but they also introduce challenges related to the protection of intellectual property. CC licences offer a simple and flexible way to regulate the use of digital materials, ensuring that authors retain control over their work while users understand the exact terms of use.

Higher education institutions rely heavily on the rapid exchange of information and content, as well as on openness, ranging from teaching materials and scientific articles to research data and student work. In this context, CC licences are essential for navigating the complex landscape of intellectual property in the digital age.

They enable authors to clearly indicate how their works may be used – whether they may be shared, adapted, or used for commercial purposes. This facilitates access to and sharing of educational resources for students and teachers, as well as the dissemination of research results among scientists, thereby encouraging collaboration and faster development.

Using CC licenses, authors can choose the level of protection that best suits them, ensuring they always receive attribution for their authorship (a moral right), even if they allow broad use of their work.

CC licenses also provide a transparent framework for lawful use. They help prevent unauthorised copying while simultaneously promoting open science and access to education.